Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 186) honoring the 75th anniversary of Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, House Concurrent Resolution 186, introduced by our colleague on the Natural Resources Committee, Representative Henry Brown, honors the 75th anniversary of Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina.

When Brookgreen Gardens opened to the public in 1932, they were the first public sculpture gardens in the country. The gardens reflect the distinguished career of Anna Hyatt Huntington, a sculptor whose work spanned a period of 70 years.

On October 5, 1992, the Secretary of the Interior recognized the significance of the site by designating Brookgreen Gardens as a National Historic Landmark based on the more than 550 works of American artists displayed in the sculpture portion of the gardens.

Mr. Speaker, we support House Concurrent Resolution 186 and recommend its adoption by the House.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in 1774, Thomas Jefferson wrote: ``The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time; the hand of force may destroy, but cannot disjoin them.'' Though our nation had yet to be formed, a sense of unity was already ingrained in the hearts and minds of future Americans. Beginning during our Nation's formative years and continuing today, many have looked to us in awe, inspired by the strength of our sense of patriotism, particularly in the face of adversity and animosity.

Six years ago, the world watched in horror as tragedy struck in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. From the moment the first airplane struck the first tower, America was changed. We were awakened to a new sense of vulnerability that continues to shape our nation. But what we have learned from this tragic experience extends beyond those early hours of shock and uncertainty.

September 11th brought momentarily to the forefront those anonymous heroes who stand among us every day. From the firefighters who died in the line of duty, to the airline passengers who fought back, to the bystanders who put aside their own fears and sprang into action, a new generation saw firsthand the incredible power of the American spirit.

Across the country, strangers became neighbors and communities became families. Drawn together in fear and confusion, the American people found solace and comfort in their fellow man. Their selfless acts turned one of our nation's darkest days into one of our Nation's finest hours. And today, we are stronger because of it.

As we pause to remember the lives that were lost on September 11th, we must give thanks to the doctors, nurses, first-responders, National Guardsmen, and American troops who spend each day protecting liberty at home and abroad. These brave men and women put their lives on the line in noble service to our country. Their generosity, compassion, and determination embody the values our Founding Fathers fought to safeguard more than 200 years ago.

On September 11, 2001, our nation was brought to its knees with grief. But on September 12, we rose again, and stood united. In a few tragic hours, America said goodbye to 2,998 friends and family members, but, with a reawakened American spirit, we welcomed 281 million strangers into our homes and our hearts.

I can think of no more fitting tribute to the lives that were lost on that sad September day than to take this time, on this day, to remember the best of America and to renew our commitment to ensuring that no force will ever ``destroy or disjoin'' us.

I thank my colleague from California (Ms. Woolsey) for yielding and for bringing this resolution to the floor.

I also can sympathize and empathize with what my colleagues Mr. Matheson and Mr. Bishop and Mr. Cannon have said and the experience through which they have been the last month or longer.

Mr. Speaker, coal mining is a dangerous occupation. Many of these individuals, these brave, courageous individuals that work in coal fields across our Nation and especially those in the Appalachian coal fields that I have the honor of representing will go to work before the sun comes up. They will not see their loved ones again until after the sun has gone down. They will do this for 5, 6, even 7 days a week, never seeing the light of day so that our Nation, as the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Cannon) has said, will be able to have light, so that those in the big cities who automatically turn on their air conditioning and their lights every morning can reflect on from where that power comes.

We in West Virginia have known our share of tragedies, and it is unfortunate that when we look back over the history of our mine safety laws in this Nation that it has taken a tragedy for the Congress to act. It is unfortunate that every mine safety and health law on the books today is written with the blood of our Nation's coal miners. Congress has responded. We did respond, as has been referred to already, in passing the MINER Act after the West Virginia disasters of Sago and Aracoma in my district, and I hope that we will respond again.

The gentlewoman from California has referred to the mine safety legislation introduced by the chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, Mr. Miller, and myself and several other Members of Congress in a bipartisan fashion. This builds upon the MINER Act that this Congress passed and, yes, President Bush signed into law. While I agree we do not know the causes of this latest disaster and we know a little more about the causes of the West Virginia disasters over a year ago, it is important that we take a look at those responsible for enforcing our mine safety laws in this country, those at MSHA, currently serving under a recess appointment director. And it is important that we beef up that agency, that we do all we can within this Congress's power to give them the morale, the authority, and the knowledge that they must enforce our mine safety laws without fears of retribution, that there cannot be the cozy relationships that perhaps have existed in the past between those who inspect our mines and those who operate our mines. That relationship, if it has existed, must no longer exist.

But that is getting into what comes down the pipe later on. What we are here today to do is to praise those miners that lost their lives, all of our Nation's coal miners, in fact, and to pray for their families. We also especially recognize those three brave individuals that went into the bowels of this Earth to try to rescue and find their friends and their fellow workers and lost their lives in the process of trying to save other lives, those mine rescuers. That tragedy was most unfortunate and only made the original tragedy that much worse.

So I join with my colleagues in offering our prayers, in offering our sympathies to the families of the lost miners as well as the rescuers because myself, having spent time with coal miners' families while they wait word from below as to the fate of their loved ones, it is a cruel experience that no individual should have to experience. But, unfortunately, unless the Congress acts and even when we do act, it may yet occur again because mining is a dangerous occupation.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 1 minute.

Mr. Chairman, title VII of the pending legislation is the Energy Policy Reform and Revitalization Act of 2007, which was produced by our Committee on Natural Resources. The fundamental premise behind this title of H.R. 3221 is that we must restore accountability and integrity in the Federal onshore and offshore energy leasing programs and ensure that the public interest is upheld when it comes to managing energy development on Federal lands, while advancing alternative energy strategies, preserving coal's role in a global climate-sensitive world, and addressing the impacts on wildlife, coastal areas, and our oceans as a result of climate change.

There are many issues contained in this title, but at this time I would highlight subtitle D. That would initiate a framework for enabling our Nation to sequester carbon dioxide under the ground to ensure the future use of fuel, such as coal, in an environmentally responsible fashion.

We can talk about ethanol and other biofuels and wind and solar, et cetera, all we want, but the fact of the matter is that coal, which produces half of our electricity in this country, will continue to be a mainstay through the foreseeable future. At the same time, any of us representing coalfields in this country recognize that we must, as a Nation, aggressively pursue strategies and technologies to capture and store the carbon dioxide.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, title VII of the pending legislation is the ``Energy Policy Reform and Revitalization Act of 2007'' which was produced by the Committee on Natural Resources.

It is the product of 14 hearings held this year, input from over 100 witnesses, results from several Government Accountability Office reports and Interior Department Inspector General investigations, and a marathon markup session during which 46 amendments were considered.

The fundamental premise behind this title of H.R. 3221 is that we must restore accountability and integrity in the Federal onshore and offshore energy leasing programs and ensure that the public interest is upheld when it comes to managing energy development on federal lands, while advancing alternative energy strategies, preserving coal's role in a global-climate-sensitive world, and addressing impacts on wildlife, coastal areas and our oceans as a result of climate change.

I would like, at this time, to express my deep appreciation to the Members of the Natural Resources Committee who assisted in crafting this legislation. To Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Chairman Jim Costa for the many long hours he put into the hearing process. To Raul Grijalva, Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands who also conducted hearings and aggressively fought for public interest provisions in this legislation. To Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans Chairwoman Madeleine Bordallo for her vision in seeking to address issues relating to wildlife and our oceans in this measure. And to Grace Napolitano, chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Water and Power for her contributions as they relate to western water resources as well.

Last, but certainly not least, I would like to express my deep appreciation to the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, for her intimate involvement with the provisions reported by the Natural Resources Committee during the process of compiling H.R. 3221.

Others will speak to the many issues contained in this title, but at this time, I will focus on two.

Subtitle D of this title will initiate a framework for enabling our Nation to sequester carbon dioxide under the ground to ensure the future use of fuels, such as coal, in an environmentally responsible fashion.

We can talk about ethanol and other biofuels, and wind, and solar all we want, but the fact of the matter is that coal--which produces half of our electricity in this country--will continue to be a mainstay throughout the foreseeable future. At the same time, many of us representing the coalfields of this country recognize that we must--as a Nation--aggressively pursue strategies and technologies to capture and store the carbon dioxide that results from coal combustion.

There are three provisions of this title which seek to accomplish that goal. The first is a national assessment of the geologic capacity for carbon storage, focusing on deep saline formations, unmineable coal seams, or oil and gas reservoirs capable of accommodating industrial carbon dioxide.

The second directs the Interior Department to devise a regulatory framework for conducting geological carbon sequestration activities on federal lands. This is extremely important. In the event a suitable geologic formation is identified on federal lands, there currently exists no clear-cut authority to allow the activity to go forward.

The third is the biomass utilization program established by this title. One of the purposes of this program is to develop biomass utilization for energy, including through combustion with other fuels such as coal, to achieve cleaner emissions. This is especially important in our continued efforts to develop a viable coal-to-liquids industry in this country to counter imported oil. Expert studies and tests show that when coal is mixed with biomass in the coal-to-liquids production process it will produce a cleaner fuel at the tailpipe than conventional gasoline.

The other area of this title which I would like to highlight relates to restoring the public interest in the management of our Federal oil and gas resources. A number of GAO and Interior Inspector General investigations make it abundantly clear that the taxpayers are not receiving a fair return for the disposition of these resources as a result of royalty underpayments, various schemes and outright fraud.

The Natural Resources Committee, under my chairmanship, has been very aggressive in pursuing these matters. There is a fiduciary responsibility to the American people involved here, and if the Interior Department will not fully exercise it then the Congress will.

Provisions of this title will bolster federal audits and provide expanded tools for requiring compliance with the payment of federal oil and gas royalties.

This is simply good government, and it belongs in this energy bill.

Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Costa).

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time for the Committee on Natural Resources.

Mr. Chairman, to follow on my previous comments and to respond to many of the comments made on the minority side, there are those on the majority side representing coal fields of this country that recognize that we must as a Nation aggressively pursue strategies and technologies to capture and store the carbon dioxide that results from coal combustion.

There are three provisions in the natural resources title which seek to accomplish that goal. The first is a national assessment of the geological capacity for carbon storage, focusing on deep saline formations, unmineable coal seams or oil and gas reservoirs capable of accommodating industrial carbon dioxide.

The second initiative directs the Interior Department to devise a regulatory framework for conducting geological carbon sequestration activities on Federal lands. This is extremely important considering future actions this Congress may take in this area. In the event a suitable geological formation is identified on Federal lands, there currently exists no clear-cut authority to allow that activity to go forward.

The third is the biomass utilization program established by this title. One of the purposes of this program is to develop biomass utilization for energy, including through combustion with other fuels such as coal, to achieve cleaner emissions. This is especially important in our continued efforts to develop a viable coal-to-liquids industry in this country to counter imported oil. Expert studies and tests show that when coal is mixed with biomass in the coal-to-liquid production process it will produce a cleaner fuel at the tailpipe than conventional gasoline.

In conclusion, on our title VII of the Natural Resources part of this bill, I would like to highlight provisions which aim to restore the public interest in the management of our Federal oil and gas reserves.

A number of GAO and Interior Inspector General investigations made it abundantly clear to our committee that the taxpayers are not receiving a fair return for the disposition of their resources as a result of royalty underpayments, various schemes and outright fraud.

The Natural Resources Committee has been very aggressive in pursuing these matters. There is a fiduciary responsibility to the American people involved here, and if the Interior Department will not fully exercise it under this administration, then those of us in Congress on our committee will.

Provisions of this title will bolster Federal audits and provide expanded tools for requiring compliance with the payment of Federal oil and gas royalties. This is simply good government.

Our portion of this bill provides for transparency, accountability, and a fair return to the true owners of these Federal lands, the American taxpayer. No longer can we allow the American taxpayer to be ripped off, to not receive their fair share for the disposition of their resources. No longer can we allow cronyism, fraud and abuse to exist in the Department of the Interior.

I conclude by saying that the Natural Resources portion of this bill is a good bill. The underlying bill is a good bill. I salute our Speaker, a true leader, who has addressed the concerns of many members of our caucus, who has an intimate grasp of the details of this legislation. Under Speaker Pelosi's leadership, we are advancing in this particular legislation energy independence for this country, a freeing of our reliance upon foreign, unstable sources of oil that imperil not only our national security but imperil the lives of our young men and women.

This bill helps restore that integrity and that independence. I urge all of my colleagues to vote for the underlying bill.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to recognize 30 years of public service by my Chief of Staff, Kent Keyser. Kent started as one of my first 2 summer interns in 1977. He then volunteered in my Huntington office for several weeks before I offered him a part time position, while he was attending Marshall University. He worked in Huntington doing constituent services, before becoming my District Representative and eventually my Federal Programs Coordinator. In December 1988 he came to Washington as my Chief of Staff. He continues to assist my constituents of the Third Congressional District with the highest caliber of service. His trustworthiness and dependability over the years have guided me and my staff through many challenges. Kent is well known for greeting members of my Washington staff with the question ``What have you done for West Virginia today?'' His loyalty to our State and my staff and me is obvious to everyone who knows him. One of the historical figures he most admires is Thomas Jefferson, whom he likes to quote, ``All things are changeable except the inalienable rights of man.'' And truly he is helping me work to change the Third District of West Virginia for the better. Kent is an asset to my staff, and also a personal friend. I want to publicly thank him for his service and tireless efforts on behalf of West Virginians. From Kenova, WV to the Nation's Capitol, while a long distance, he has never journeyed far from his upbringing near the banks of the Big Sandy and Ohio rivers. On behalf of the people in the great State of West Virginia we thank you for 3 decades of giving of your self to our State and Nation.

Madam Speaker, in recent weeks, I have witnessed the lengths to which the oil and gas industry will go to frighten my colleagues about the contents of H.R. 2337, the energy legislation approved last month by the House Natural Resources Committee. The tales they weave would make good fodder for a Stephen King novel.

I have heard arguments of all kinds--that the bill will cause oil and gas prices to increase, that it will harm energy supplies, and even that it will cost American jobs. Falsehoods such as these, while creative, are simply unfounded.

I have seen no data to substantiate these claims or to show how the mild provisions of Titles I and II in my bill will result in such ill effects. And, I might add, what these detractors always conveniently fail to reveal is that the Energy Policy Act of 2005 provided zip in the way of lower prices.

Let me take this opportunity to give you a little insight into what is really behind this smear campaign.

The bottom line here is production royalties from Federal lands and waters are owed to the American people. For the last 6 years under the Bush administration, the oil and gas industry has been pampered by friends in high places.

Consider this: From 2002 to 2005, collections of oil and gas royalties from drilling rigs on public lands have fallen to an annual average of $48 million--half the average, $115 million, collected annually in the 20 years prior, despite increased production.

Consider this: Between 1998 and 2001, the Minerals Management Service, MMS, conducted over 540 audits per year. From 2002 through 2005, the average number of audits dropped to 393. And in 2006, MMS completed only 144 audits. That means that MMS reduced the number of oil and gas audits by 22 percent.

By comparison, The New York Times reported recently that the IRS has more than doubled the number of individual tax returns audited from 2000 to 2006, increasing from nearly 618,000 to nearly 1.3 million of us whom IRS decided to scrutinize.

So here we have oil and gas companies raking in profits and getting a wink and a nod when it comes to paying the royalties they owe, while the IRS knuckles down to squeeze every possible nickel and dime out of regular folks and hardworking families. Thank you very much, Mr. President.

From the earliest days of this administration when energy executives, or their representatives, gathered behind the curtains of executive privilege shrouding the Vice President's office, the energy policy of this Nation has been tilted against the regular folks most of us in this body represent. These huge, multinational firms would seem to be the least in need of coddling by and protection of our government, yet, the policies of this administration have sheltered them from ``ponying up'' their fair share of what is truly owed to the Federal Treasury. At a time when the oil and gas industry is reaping record profits, consumers at the pump are watching the price figures flip by at increasing speed as the quantity of gas they actually pour hums ever more slowly into the tank.

We have an opportunity here, in H.R. 2337, to make some real and positive changes--to even out the policies so slanted in favor of the oil company executives whose nameplates appear at Mr. Cheney's energy bargaining table. We have the chance to restore some accountability to the system and improve the way the Federal Government manages its public energy resources.

H.R. 2337 will step up the number of audits performed each year and give the agency the teeth it has long needed to go after those companies that underpay the Treasury at the expense of the rest of us.

Madam Speaker, every year over Memorial Day weekend we have a tall tales contest in my home State of West Virginia. That event draws some of the biggest fibbers and spinners the Lord has seen fit to create. Having listened to the bizarre claims ricocheting around these halls in recent weeks, I look forward to next Memorial Day when I expect to see a string of oil and gas executives taking the stage to share their whoppers.

The winner of this time-honored contest, by the way, is awarded an enviable trophy--a golden shovel. What a nice--and appropriate-- decoration for the walls of some mighty oil company CEO.

Madam Speaker, I am today in support of H.R. 799, the Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2007. This long overdue legislation continues to promote every one of the southern West Virginia counties I represent, and indeed the entire State of West Virginia, as it is the only State which lies entirely within ARC jurisdiction.

``A rising tide,'' President Kennedy told us, ``lifts all boats.'' And so one of President Kennedy's legacies was created in 1965 with a unique mission to serve a unique part of the Nation, the Appalachian region.

Historically, the counties of Appalachia have ``faced high levels of poverty and economic distress resulting from geographic isolation and inadequate infrastructure.''

It was with these concerns in mind that ARC was created and it is these concerns ARC has been addressing vigorously for the past 40 years.

Take for example the area of transportation, a major focus for ARC. ARC was developed, in part, because of the severe isolation experienced in Appalachia and that in order to develop Appalachia and give its people an opportunity to compete, a system of highways was needed. Enter the Appalachian Development Highway System, which was created to serve the transportation needs of Appalachian residents by assisting in the construction of highways so critically needed by Appalachian communities for economic growth and development.

The ADHS now encompasses over 3,000 miles of Appalachian highways and nearly 85 percent of those roads are complete or under construction. The ADHS is truly a success story for ARC and all of Appalachia. Despite the President's recent budget, which requests eliminating funding for the Appalachian Development Highway System, it is my strong conviction that this program be continued at the agreed upon level set forth in SAFETEA-LU.

Before I leave this subject of transportation and the critical value of rural America's transportation network to our urban brothers and sisters, it is my sincere hope that rural America's voice will be loud and clear when it comes to funding schemes that would punish rural commuters and citizens who are forced by geography to drive long distances each day to and from their employment. It is an issue critical to the completion and maintenance of ARC development highways network.

And while a major focus of ARC remains on highways and Appalachian transportation infrastructure, as the times have changed so has ARC.

As much of the United States has been able to take advantage of the technological boom of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Appalachia once again is in danger of being left behind and unable to compete in the global marketplace.

In the most recent FCC data on high-speed connections for Internet access, released on January 31, 2007, you can track the Appalachian mountain range by just how spotty the provider coverage is on the FCC's provider map. In fact, in West Virginia it is significantly below the average in broadband use nationwide.

Again, ARC is there to offer significant support, bringing broadband access to our communities, which is essential to leveling the playing field and giving our communities an opportunity to compete. Schools, businesses, local governments and individual homes all have benefited from ARC involvement in the expansion of broadband access in Appalachia, and continue to do so.

I have been working with ARC, private telecommunications companies and local economic development leaders to bring broadband technology into southern West Virginia. For example, through the E-commerce training initiatives being offered by ARC and others we are working to connect local small businesses to broadband, opening doors to Internet sales and services that just weren't there a couple of years ago.

It is ARC's ability to serve its mission by adapting its actions to fit the times that makes ARC such an invaluable resource to Appalachia and the Nation. From the Appalachian Development Highway System to the E-commerce and broadband initiatives, ARC continues to serve its mission by advocating for and partnering with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life.

I am also glad to see the integrity of ARC programs kept in tact by disallowing the use of earmarks in this legislation. I believe adoption of this provision is critical and will benefit all ARC member-states and the long-term viability of ARC itself. Additionally, I am pleased to see the bi-partisan support for this program which was displayed by the rejection of attempts to cut funding for it in the recent House passed FY08 Energy and Water Appropriations legislation.

I applaud the efforts of Federal Co-Chair Anne Pope who, as a native daughter of Appalachia, executes so well the mission of ARC in each of Appalachia's communities. I have said this before and am happy to do so again on the record, Anne is one of the finest Federal Co-Chairs to ever serve the people of Appalachia and I look forward to our continued strong relationship serving the needs of southern West Virginians, together.

I strongly support ARC, its mission and the incredibly successful initiatives it has undertaken to better the lives of the people of Appalachia and West Virginia.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 25th anniversary of the National Heritage Fellowships.

The National Heritage Fellowships are a proud tradition that honors our Nation's diverse cultural heritage and West Virginia has been truly blessed by the music of Heritage Fellow Hazel Dickens, who was awarded this lifetime achievement recognition in 2001.

As we celebrated West Virginia's birthday last week, the words of Hazel Dickens were

close to all of our hearts, ``Oh the green rolling hills of West Virginia, Are the nearest thing to heaven that I know.''

Hazel is a living legend, a spirited, talented daughter of West Virginia, and an important part of our musical heritage. Her legacy will be preserved for future generations when our efforts to create a Mountain Music Center are completed.

There is something about her plain and sometimes painful poetry that makes us all think, if just for a moment, what a treasure home is, especially West Virginia.

To Hazel, and all of the Heritage fellows, I extend my greatest thanks for their continued contributions to our Nation's arts heritage. They have given us a great gift.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Natural Resources be discharged from further consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 186) supporting the goals and ideals of National Clean Beaches Week and recognizing the considerable value of American beaches and their role in American culture, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Natural Resources be discharged from further consideration of the Senate bill (S. 277) to modify the boundaries of Grand Teton National Park to include certain land within the GT Park Subdivision, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

I thank the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee for yielding me the time and certainly commend him for his leadership as well as that of the full committee chairman, Mr. Obey.

Mr. Chairman, for over a decade while our Government lingered in Republican control, America's investment in itself, in those programs that provide for the most fundamental needs of our citizens, has been literally on the chopping block. As a result, Americans are coping with diminishing services and declining opportunities. Those programs that fall under the purview of the Natural Resources Committee, which I chair, are no exception. In fact, they have been particularly hard hit. As a result, our ability to preserve for future generations these unique places that are a rich part of America's past is diminishing. Our means of ensuring the thoughtful conservation and balanced development of our resources has been undercut. And our ability to protect our treasured natural vistas and irreplaceable wildlife has suffered mightily.

But this year we have turned the corner and that is due in large part, as I have said, because of the leadership of our distinguished appropriations Chair, Dave Obey, and the chairman of the Interior appropriations subcommittee, my classmate and dear friend, Norm Dicks. I thank and commend Chairman Dicks for his outstanding efforts on the bill before us today. It is a good bill, it's a great bill that will move us in a positive direction.

It is most remarkable for its differences from Interior bills of recent years. It has been a very long time since we have seen a bill that provides funding levels that come anywhere close to providing for the Nation's real and growing conservation needs. And while this bill is constrained by the government's overall budgetary limitations, it is an honest effort that provides needed nourishment to important accounts that were on a forced starvation diet.

I am particularly pleased and encouraged to see that Chairman Dicks has substantially increased funding for our national parks, these national treasures that hold a special place in the hearts of many Americans, but recent funding for them has not reflected their true value. This bill reverses years of disinvestment, helping to ensure that parks funding does not come at the expense of other programs. It also reverses a decline in staffing and visitor services, providing an increase in seasonal and permanent employees.

In addition, support is improved for the endangered species program and other accounts that are critical to saving God's creatures from extinction. This money will go a long way toward ensuring the Endangered Species Act is implemented as it was originally intended.

In what signals one of the most obvious and commendable departures from Republican priorities of recent years, this bill includes a 13 percent increase for the office of the Inspector General at Interior. That increase responds to the kinds of gross problems that I have been probing in our committee hearings this year with respect to Interior's inexcusable failure to collect moneys due the American people from Big Oil.

This appropriation measure also honors our Federal trust responsibilities to Native Americans. It restores badly needed dollars for the Indian Health Improvement Fund and the Urban Indian Health Care Program. It also recognizes, Mr. Chairman, the importance of the Indian Housing Improvement Program by ensuring that the program is not eliminated as the administration had proposed. The tribes have suffered under the bare-bones budget of recent years, but this bill thankfully attempts to set things back on the right course.

Finally, I am very encouraged to see funding increases for the long- neglected Land and Water Conservation Fund as well as for Payment in Lieu of Taxes. The stateside grants, in particular, have suffered greatly at the hands of the administration budget butchers.

Again, I commend Chairman Norm Dicks for crafting a serious appropriation bill that helps our Federal agencies conserve our natural and cultural heritage for generations to come, and I commend the ranking member, Mr. Todd Tiahrt, for his working with our chairman as well.

Madam Speaker, today is an historic date in the United States Congress, and for my State of West Virginia. Today, our State's senior Senator--the senior Senator of all Senior Senators--and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Robert C. Byrd, has just cast his 18,000th vote.

On April 30, 1990, Senator Byrd cast his 12,134th vote, surpassing Senator William Proxmire, the previous record holder.

Now, he has cast 18,000 votes. Talk about a record. They say records are made to be broken. I will be very surprised if anyone ever breaks this one. It would take a Senator on super steroids!

Madam Speaker, I take this opportunity, not only to congratulate my fellow West Virginian, and my mentor, but to say how proud the people of West Virginia are of him.

Senator Byrd was a virtual orphan boy raised by his aunt and coal- mining uncle in the hills of southern West Virginia. Through hard work, determination, a strong religious belief, an unrelenting drive to gain knowledge, and his belief that the United States is indeed the land of opportunity, he has climbed to the highest pinnacle of political success. He went from a coal miner's shack to the ornate Appropriations Committee Suite he now occupies in the U.S. Capitol. Unable to afford college after graduating from high school, he became the first person to begin and complete law school while serving in the United States Congress.

He has worked pumping gas and as a butcher in a local grocery store, and as a welder in the shipyards of Baltimore and Tampa during World War II. After the war, he owned and operated a grocery store in Sophia, West Virginia. These are unlikely jobs for someone with the kind of power our Senator has come to wield in Washington. But I believe they helped to mold the man in a way that I think would be of benefit to more of our leaders, and, in turn, to our nation. I think the world of politics would have a better reputation if more politicians lived the kind of hardscrabble life that Senator Byrd endured in his younger days. Certainly, it would be better if more of us had a wonderful woman like his gracious Erma--his angel in heaven--by our sides, giving us counsel and encouragement.

Now Senator Byrd has cast more votes than any other U.S. Senator, and he has done so approaching each vote with depth of thought and breadth of experience.

He has held more Senate leadership positions than any other Senator, including two stints as the Senate Majority Leader. And, as I have already mentioned, he is the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

While he is the longest serving Senator in history, I am pleased to point out that on December 2, 2009, he will have served in the U.S. Congress for a total of 56 years, 10 months, and 29 days, making him the longest serving member of Congress in history. I am already preparing my remarks for that historic day.

Madam Speaker, in the hope of keeping the health and safety needs of our coal miners at the forefront of our Nation's conscience, I am pleased to join my colleagues, the Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, George Miller, and Alan Mollohan from West Virginia in sponsoring a new legislative package on mine safety.

The mine tragedies of last year are the result of a government and a Nation that let down its guard. That should never have happened.

Nevertheless, the Congress responded quickly and appropriately with the passage of the MINER Act, which I proudly supported. Today, the Congress continues responding with the introduction of the Supplemental Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2007 (S-MINER).

This bill would ban the use of belt air to ventilate the working face of a mine--a flaw that contributed to the fatal fire at the Aracoma mine in my district. I have long opposed this practice, and I am glad to support the ban contained in this bill.

The bill requires improvements to air quality monitoring to guard against black lung disease, better safety examinations, and improved construction and monitoring of seals--all things that could have helped to save some of the 47 lives lost in the coalfields in 2006.

Also, importantly to my State, S-MINER calls for the installation of refuge chambers and helps to coordinate State and Federal deadlines and safety mandates. In West Virginia, operators are facing those looming requirements. A Federal requirement for chambers would undoubtedly save lives. It would, as well, help to reduce their cost and increase their availability, ensuring that more of our miners have access to refuges in life-threatening emergencies.

The legislative package contains concepts and provisions that have been part of mine safety discussions for years, if not decades. The elements contained within should not come as a surprise to anyone who has been within shouting distance of the coalfields in the last several months.

I welcome the discussion and the debate sure to come concerning this legislation. As long as we are talking about mine safety--whether we agree or not--we are not ignoring it. And that is a critical improvement to the purposeful neglect of recent years.

Madam Speaker, I commend my colleague, George Miller, for his attention to this vital issue and I thank him for his continuing work on behalf of our Nation's coal miners and their families.

Madam Speaker, ``a rising tide,'' President Kennedy told us, ``lifts all boats.'' And so one of President Kennedy's legacies was created in 1965 with a unique mission to serve a unique part of the Nation, the Appalachian region.

Historically, the counties of Appalachia have ``faced high levels of poverty and economic distress resulting from geographic isolation and inadequate infrastructure.''

It was with these concerns in mind that ARC was created and it is these concerns ARC has been addressing vigorously for the past 40 years.

Take for example the area of transportation, a major focus for ARC. ARC was developed, in part, because of the severe isolation experienced in Appalachia and that in order to develop Appalachia and give its people an opportunity to compete, a system of highways was needed. Enter the Appalachian Development Highway System, which was created to serve the transportation needs of Appalachian residents by assisting in the construction of highways so critically needed by Appalachian communities for economic growth and development.

The ADHS now encompasses over 3,000 miles of Appalachian highways and nearly 85 percent of those roads are complete or under construction. The ADHS is truly a success story for ARC and all of Appalachia. Despite the Presidents recent budget, which requests eliminating funding for the Appalachian Development Highway System, it is my strong conviction that this program be continued at the agreed upon level set forth in SAFETEA-LU.

If Members review a recent report, entitled, The Potential for an Uncontrolled Mass Evacuation of the DC Metro Area Following a Terrorist Attack: A report of Survey Findings, by West Virginia University, it becomes readily clear that the ARC's development highways will critically serve another national purpose in times of ``mass spontaneous evacuations,'' particularly from here, Madam Speaker, our Nation's Capital. This may surprise many, but about 83 percent of the people here plan on probably leaving, and 88 percent of those plan on leaving by car.

Without doubt Appalachia, West Virginia, in particular, must be ready to handle such future fateful events. The ARC can be a catalyst in preparing for such an eventuality, but they do not have the resources, nor the mandate to fulfill this function. I hope this lone call, will signal, first the need, and secondly the will, of this Member of Congress, that we need full partners in the federal government to work with ARC and other appropriate agencies to plan for evacuations now rather than some distant day.

ARC has also been a responsible steward of the federal funds it has received over the years. For example, in FY 2006, across all investment areas, each dollar of ARC funding was matched by $3.14 in non-ARC public project funding, and each ARC dollar invested leveraged $11.55 in private investment in ARC projects over time.

And while a major focus of ARC remains on highways and Appalachian transportation infrastructure, as the times have changed so has ARC.

As much of the United States has been able to take advantage of the technological boom of the late 20th and early 21st Centuries, Appalachia once again is in danger of being left behind and unable to compete in the global marketplace.

In the most recent FCC data on high-speed connections for Internet access, released on January 31, 2007, you can track the Appalachian mountain range by just how spotty the provider coverage is on the FCC's provider map. In fact, West Virginia is significantly below the average in broadband use nationwide.

Again, ARC is there to offer significant support, bringing broadband access to our communities, which is essential to leveling the playing field and giving our communities an opportunity to compete. Schools, businesses, local governments and individual homes all have benefited from ARC involvement in the expansion of broadband access in Appalachia, and continue to do so.

I have been working with ARC, private telecommunications companies, and local economic development leaders to bring broadband technology into southern West Virginia. For example, through the E-commerce training initiatives being offered by ARC and others we are working to connect local small businesses to broadband, opening doors to Internet sales and services that just weren't there a couple of years ago.

It is ARC's ability to serve its mission by adapting its actions to fit the times that makes ARC such an invaluable resource to Appalachia and the Nation. From the Appalachian Development Highway System to the E-commerce and broadband initiatives, ARC continues to serve its mission by advocating for and partnering with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining economic development and improved quality of life.

I applaud the efforts of Federal Co-Chair Anne Pope who, as a native daughter of Appalachia, executes so well the mission of ARC in each of Appalachia's communities. I have said this before and am happy to do so again on the record, Anne is one of the finest Federal Co-Chairs to ever serve the people of Appalachia and I look forward to our continued strong relationship serving the needs of southern West Virginians, together.

I strongly support ARC, its mission and the incredibly successful initiatives it has undertaken to better the lives of the people of Appalachia and West Virginia. It is why I signed a bipartisan letter of support for increasing the funding which the ARC receives, which I request be included in the Record, and I continue to support strong and robust funding to maintain the vision which President Kennedy laid before us, some 40 years ago.

Congress of the United States,

Washington, DC, April 24, 2007.

Hon. Peter Visclosky,

Chairman, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, House

Committee on Appropriations, Washington, DC.

Hon. David Hobson,

Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development,

House Committee on Appropriations, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman Visclosky and Ranking Member Hobson: We

respectfully request that you include funding in the amount

of $75 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)

in the Fiscal Year 2008 Energy and Water Development

Appropriations bill.

Since 1965, the ARC has contributed significantly to

improving the quality of life for the 23 million Americans in

the Region by working closely with its federal, state, and

private sector partners and local communities.

As Representatives from Appalachia, we see first hand the

successes that have resu1ted from the ARC's economic

development initiatives. For example, the Region's poverty

rate has been cut in half, the infant mortality rate has been

reduced by two-thirds, the high school graduation rate has

increased by over 70 percent--comparing favorably with the

national average, and the Commission's initiatives have

helped create approximately 1.6 million jobs.

We are requesting this modest increase to help the ARC

address more aggressively the Region's infrastructure

deficiencies and the continuing human capital and leadership

deficits which result in concentrated areas of poverty and

unemployment. Over the last ten years, funding for the ARC

has remained level at around $65 million and the Region

continues to receive less federal assistance per capita than

the rest of the country.

The ARC has been a responsible steward of the federal funds

it has received over the years. For example, in FY 2006,

across all investment areas, each dollar of ARC funding was

matched by $3.14 in non-ARC public project funding, and each

ARC dollar invested leveraged $11.55 in private investment in

ARC projects over time.

With the advent of the global economy, the ARC faces more

complex and profound challenges while third world conditions

still exist in the Region and require the Commission's

continued focus. For example, according to a recent analysis

completed by the University of North Carolina Environmental

Financing Center, the counties in the Region require

estimated investments of $11.4 billion to meet current

drinking water needs and $14.3 billion for wastewater

needs. This is substantially more than the funding that is

currently available from combined state and federal

programs. Without basic infrastructure, economic

development, and improvements in the overall quality of

life, the Appalachian Region will continue to lag well

behind the rest of the nation.

Currently, the rural areas in the Region lag behind the

nation in access to cable modem and DSL services and other

forms of high speed internet access. We know the deployment

of telecommunications infrastructure throughout the Region

has become an absolute necessity if Appalachians are going to

compete in the national and global economies. Today's

globalization comes with a higher threshold for success: high

technology jobs rather than manual labor, college education

rather than basic literacy and the need for modern

telecommunications infrastructure to facilitate economic

development.

Despite the impressive accomplishments of the ARC, the 410-

county Region still faces a complex set of economic and

social challenges and will need continued support from

Congress if the Commission's goal for the Region--socio-

economic parity with the rest of the nation--is to be

reached.

Looking to the future, the ARC expects to capitalize on the

Region's abundant energy assets to promote job creation in

the energy sector with energy efficiency and renewable energy

initiatives as well as with conventional fuels.

Appalachia's future remains at risk. Therefore, on behalf

of the citizens in the Region we urge you to support a

funding level of $75 million for FY 2008. We believe this

level will allow the agency to continue its important work to

improve the quality of life in Appalachia, particularly in

the poorest and most underdeveloped counties.

Thank you for consideration of our request.

Sincerely,

Zack Space, David Scott, David Davis, Heath Shuler,

Michael A. Arcuri, Lincoln Davis, Roscoe G. Bartlett,

Spencer Bachus, Rick Boucher, Charles A. Wilson, Phil

English, Shelley Moore Capito, Tim Holden, Christopher

P. Carney, Ed Whitfield, Hank Johnson, Jr., Jason

Altmire, Paul E. Kanjorski, John J. Duncan, Jr., Nick

J. Rahall, II, Brian Higgins, Kirsten E. Gillibrand,

Geoff Davis, Chip Pickering, and Phil Gingrey.

Members of Congress.

Madam Speaker, I rise on this special day to honor my home among the hills, the great state of West Virginia. It was on June 20, 1863, that West Virginia became the 35th state to enter the Union.

The distinctiveness of West Virginia can be traced to its unique founding, as the only state to have been formed as a direct result of the Civil War, through Presidential proclamation.

In a reaction to Virginia's overrepresentation of eastern planters in the state legislature and complicated further by the swirling political issues of the day, on June 11, 1861, delegates from Virginia's western counties met to nullify Virginia's secession from the Union. Fifty counties (all of present-day West Virginia except for the land that now comprises Mineral, Grant, Lincoln, Mingo, and Summers Counties) constituted the newly formed state and served as the genesis of the vibrant and diverse place we know today as West Virginia.

The Constitution of West Virginia was approved in April of 1862, and in May of 1863, Arthur I. Boreman became our first governor. By June 20, 1863, West Virginia was officially a sovereign state. The sheer beauty of West Virginia now stands in stark and welcome contrast to the ugly conflict from which it was born.

Since its inception, West Virginia has been blessed with a striking landscape, placing it--we West Virginian believe--in a league all its own. The West Virginia state motto--Montani Semper Liberi-- ``Mountaineers are always free,'' sums up our powerful love of liberty and pays homage to our beautifully rugged lands that have honed our grit and determination, while attracting thousands of visitors each year.

West Virginia has historically been a leader in steel, glass, aluminum, chemical manufacturing, and natural gas industries. Small family farmers continue traditions that have served them for generations, providing, among other goods, some of the world's best apples. And our miners, who have long produced the coal that made our country strong, continue to dig to keep our national economy running.

But, as the old saying goes ``nothing endures but change.'' And we are seeing a change in West Virginia. In fact, West Virginia's foray into new technology has provided new horizons for her residents, opening West Virginia for business while allowing us to remain wild and wonderful.

West Virginia my be 144 years old today, but it is just beginning to blossom. Our future

is as bright as an early summer morning sunrise over the Appalachian hills.

Today, and every day, West Virginians thank the Lord for our bountiful blessings. We are kindred spirits, bound together in loyalty and love for our fine state. And everyday, wherever we may roam, we think of ``happy home'' and that place among the hills that truly is ``Almost Heaven.''