Floor Statements

Mr. President, I have seven requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders.

Mr. President, I am here to speak in support of the Congressional Review Act on the stream protection rule.

I want to say to those who participated in the last election--where part of the discussion was the Federal Government knows all and needs to be in your life and in your business life every day, and it knows the best one-size-fits-all way--that help is on the way today. A lot of the talk of the election is now going into action in the form of the Congressional Review Act.

In particular, the stream protection rule was a last-minute power grab that was aimed at giving more power to the Federal Government.

Now, at the onset, I would like to say this: I don't have any charts. I don't have any pictures, but then I thought, you know what. Yes, I do. I have a lot of pictures on my device here, which I will not open up because it is against the rules and you will not be able to see anyway. But in these pictures, you will see a picture of me fishing in a beautiful stream in West Virginia, where trout is unlimited. You will see me riding an ATV on a Hatfield-McCoy Trail, which is the old mining trails and the old lumber trails in southern mine country in West Virginia, where thousands of people come every year. You will see me visiting a school or a business park that is built on the top of what is a reclaimed mountaintop removal.

If you have ever been to West Virginia, they don't call us the Mountain State for nothing. It is mountain after mountain after mountain, difficult terrain, and in some ways it is very difficult to have any kind of economic development.

So when the laws are enforced--the laws that we have now, in terms of water protection and reclamation--after the mining is finished, we have been able to have some economic development projects that have been to the benefit of many communities there.

So I have no charts. I live there. This is my home. I can drive 4 miles and be at a coal mine very easily, probably less than that.

I heard the argument about outdoor recreation, that people want to have outdoor recreation. I just described three outdoor recreation activities in my State, and the ranking member was talking about how she fished in West Virginia and enjoyed it and had good luck, I hope. Anyway, we have beautiful trout streams, but the outdoor recreator doesn't want to see a coal mine. I would bet the outdoor recreator doesn't want to see a nuclear plant, probably doesn't want to see a windmill farm, probably doesn't want to see a natural gas plant because when you are getting away to recreate, I don't know that anybody would want that, but I can tell you what they do want.

They want the steel that is in their truck to get them there. They want the electricity that they have to have when they go home at night to cook their food or clean their clothes or all the different things that electricity does.

There are tradeoffs to everything. Certainly coal has provided the baseload of the industrial revolution for this country, and we still, I think, have a great role to play.

There are estimates with this rule. The other thing is, it was said that there were no rules in place until we had this rule. That is absolutely false--absolutely false. This rule was rushed in. It was worked on for 5 years, yes. It had 10 State regulators. Let me go back.

The regulation, under the Clean Water Act, is done by the States through the EPA, in conjunction with State and Federal, with the EPA overseeing what the States are doing to make sure they are meeting the minimum standards.

So there are protections in place, and we welcome those protections. Where we live, where everybody lives, we want that. Can we do better? Absolutely, we can do better. We should always strive to do better.

This rule has been in the making for 5 years. Ten States came to this table, 10 States which were most heavily impacted, to try to help the Department of Interior develop this rule.

Our DEP Secretary Randy Huffman says that this proposed version of a stream protection rule--and this is not a Republican-Democrat thing. This is a Democratic Governor's DEP commissioner saying that it was ``an unnecessary, uncalled for political gesture.'' He went on to say that ``the combined administrative record developed throughout the history of mining regulation under SMCRA is totally devoid of any indication of a need for this radical rewrite of the regulations governing the way coal is mined in America.''

Other States have made comments as well. We had the Ohio Chief of Mineral Resources Management Lanny Erdos testify before our EPW Committee. ``OSM has not provided for meaningful participation with the cooperating or commenting agency States.''

Basically, these State regulators who were charged with the primacy of putting forward the water standards in their States and overseeing mining in their States were basically invited into the party and then put in another room and not listened to. Then, eight of them walked away. That has to tell you, this wasn't an even playing field and was probably a very insincere effort to include everybody's opinions.

In Wyoming, Todd Parfitt said: ``The failure to engage cooperating agencies throughout this process is reflected in the poor quality of the proposed rule.''

We have heard a lot about the empathetic voices of the job losses: 60,000 miners since 2011, many of them in my State. Many of these men and women who were making $80, $90,000 a year no longer have a job. They are living in communities that are decimated.

Our State is $500 million in the hole. We are trying to transition. We are trying to do the right thing, but rules like this that we are about to overturn through the CRA process are such an overreach of authority.

The EPA has already gotten slapped down by the Supreme Court for the match rule. They put a stay on the Clean Power Plan. There are definite questions as to the authorities that the past administration has put forward.

United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts says: ``We are especially concerned with the long-term negative impact this rule is very likely to have on future longwall coal mining in the United States and associated employment impacts on our miners.''

We have heard about mountaintop removal. There is a strong belief that this will impact our underground mining as well. That is pretty much--I wish I knew the exact percentage, but I would say well over 70 or 75 percent of the mining and maybe more than that.

I hosted Senate committee field hearings centered on energy jobs in Beckley, Logan, and Morgantown. Bo Copley, a coal miner who lost his job, talked about the impact regulatory policies were having on him, his young family, his community, and his former colleagues.

We heard about the fact that the health and pension of our miners is in deep trouble. I have been very much on board. Senator Manchin and I have been working hard--along with Senator Portman, Senator Brown--with those more affected regions to make sure the health care and pensions of our miners are funded and that those miners know that the benefits that were promised will be there for them and their families. The promises made will be promises kept, but this downturn in the coal industry heavily affects the ability for the pension funds to be solvent and for the health benefits to be carried on. So there is a direct correlation between the overregulation we have seen and the effects in the health and pension funds.

The ranking member on the Energy Committee--and we just had a good conversation. I will paraphrase what she said: Sometimes I think we are sort of talking by one another. And I think maybe she is right in certain respects, and she mentioned the effect of natural gas on the coal industry. Yes, that has had an effect on the coal industry, but this rule that was proposed, rushed in at the last minute by the Department of Interior, would have an even more devastating effect than the combination of regulations to this point, the combination of the natural gas and market conditions.

So you ask: Oh, how rushed in was it if it was being worked on for 5 years?

Well, they didn't publish the rule until December 20, 2016, after the election--the election in which overregulation was one of the key factors that was discussed during the election and the effect on economies and businesses and the ability for American workers to continue to work hard and keep their jobs, but Americans rejected the continuation of these policies.

So they published the rule on December 20, 2016, and then it was made effective January 19, 2017.

What is January 19, 2017? It was the day before President Obama left office. There is no irony there at all, I don't think.

I am here to say that Senator McConnell and I have put this forward. It is one of the first ones that has come forward in terms of the Congressional Review Act. Help is on the way, and the President will sign this. He has said in his Statement of Administration Policy: ``The administration is committed to reviving America's coal communities, which have been hurting for too long.''

Again, I can tell you about it. I could probably show you pictures of it. I live there. These are my friends. These are folks I see every day. I see them in the grocery store. And we have seen the effects in our region to the point of six of our counties are in deep, deep depressions.

So I want to congratulate the House of Representatives for passing this earlier today. I want to thank West Virginia Representatives David McKinley, Evan Jenkins, and Alex Mooney for voting yes and getting a strong vote. I would like to thank Leader McConnell for his leadership on this and the 27 other cosponsors of this bill.

Lastly, I would like to say, we heard the Senator from Hawaii talk about how this is really going to create jobs. Well, I found an article from the Wall Street Journal on December 20, 2016, and I am going to quote from it.

Interior's projections about the economic impact are

laughable. OSM reckons the rule would cost a mere 124 coal

mining jobs a year--

Whereas, other estimates are almost as much as one-third of the jobs--

but instead of visiting operating mines, the wizards at OSM

built their estimates on computer models. They even reported

a net gain in jobs--

And I think this is what the Senator from Hawaii was talking about--

as miners are replaced by workers implementing the rule.

Less mining but more workers--genius.

This reminds me a little bit of when we were talking about all of the regulatory burdens of Dodd-Frank, which I am sure we will be getting into in another CRA. I was on the Financial Services Committee over in the House for a long time, and we learned, when Dodd-Frank went into effect, within a year and a half, the largest growing profession was bank auditors. So the government has created jobs for bank auditors to put forward their rules. It sounds a lot like that is what OSM has done with this rule.

I would just like to close with this. We are going to move forward with this because it is important to our region. It is important to a lot of working people. It will not and does not in any form or fashion allow fowling of the water, fowling of our streams. There are protections that are carried forth through our State regulators who came to the table for this rule, who felt they were not being listened to and, over the course of 5 years, all drifted out. I don't think they were invited back. I am confident this will have an effect of saying: America, you voted to unleash the American economy, to let our regulators regulate, to let our clean water statutes move forward in conjunction with State and Federal regulators, to let Americans know that the Federal Government is not going to be reaching into every aspect of your life and it is going to result in losing your job, creating hopelessness, 72 teachers being laid off in my county last month because we have lost people, real estate values going down, and the loss of a valuable resource that leads to the strength and to the viability and to the security because energy security is security for our country, for our whole country.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that following disposition of the Chao nomination, the Senate resume consideration of the Tillerson nomination postcloture, and the Senate recess until 2 p.m., with the time during recess counting postcloture on the Tillerson nomination.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Madam President, the Environmental Protection Agency, which bears most of the blame for regulations targeting energy jobs, is in dire need of a change of direction. The EPA under the Obama administration was unwilling to engage the people of West Virginia in public listening sessions or hearings about decisions that directly impacted our State's economy, and I have described what the result of that has been.

This failure to effectively engage resulted in a number of job- killing regulations, like the utility MATS rule for powerplants, the so-called Clean Power Plan, and the waters of the U.S. rule.

As the Presiding Officer knows, the waters of the U.S. rule is something that impacts not just mining but also agriculture, construction, and it really has far-reaching implications.

Scott Pruitt, who is President Trump's nominee to become the EPA Administrator, has gone through a thorough review process by the Environment and Public Works Committee. At Attorney General Pruitt's confirmation hearing, Senators from both parties were permitted to engage in as many as four rounds of questioning, and some of them were pretty tough. After the hearing, Attorney General Pruitt answered 1,078 questions for the Record. Combining both the hearing and the followup questions, Attorney General Pruitt answered more than 1,200 questions from our committees.

Through the process, Attorney General Pruitt has shown himself to be a person who cares about applying our environmental laws as they were written and intended by Congress. He has a

strong record of enforcing environmental statutes in a balanced way and ensuring clean air and clean water without unnecessarily sacrificing jobs or economic growth.

Attorney General Pruitt has been clear that he will work with State regulators and listen to the views of individuals who will be most heavily impacted by EPA's regulatory decisions.

I believe Attorney General Pruitt will keep his word and provide a refreshing change and direction for West Virginia coal miners, natural gas workers, manufacturers, farmers, and, indeed, for all of our communities struggling from the effects of overregulation.

I look forward to supporting Attorney General Pruitt's nomination in the EPW Committee, which will come before the committee on Wednesday morning, and I look forward to seeing him confirmed on the Senate floor soon.

Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, the last 6 years have been devastating to local economies across coal country. The Mine Safety and Health Administration has estimated that at least 60,000 coal jobs have been lost since 2011, and thousands of these jobs have been in my home State of West Virginia.

Excessive government regulation and other factors have done more than cost jobs. These policies have imperiled our coal miner retirement benefits, and they have left local governments struggling to keep up to pay for education, to pay for public works, and to pay for law enforcement. I can tell my colleagues story after story I have seen in our newspapers about this very thing.

In October, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee heard testimony from Wayne County, West Virginia commissioner Robert Pasley. He said that the coal severance tax revenues in Wayne County in West Virginia--his county--dropped by 88 percent in 2013 and 2016. This drop left the county without a vital funding source that traditionally helped to pay for local volunteer fire departments, senior citizens programs, and education.

West Virginia University economist John Deskins told the Senate Energy

and Natural Resources Committee in August that six West Virginia counties were suffering a depression--a depression--because of the coal downturn. And just last week, the State of West Virginia projected that its annual State budget faces a $500 million shortfall.

So what was the response of President Obama's administration in its last days in power? Yet another job-killing and anti-coal regulation that would make a bad situation in my State worse.

The Department of the Interior published its stream protection rule on December 20, 2016, and it made the rule effective on January 19, 2017--just 1 day before President Obama left office. There is a lot of irony here, and I don't think it is by chance. According to a National Mining Association Study, one-third of remaining coal jobs could be placed at risk by the rule.

Today I am proud to join Leader McConnell as he introduces the Stream Protection Congressional Review Act. We are also joined by my colleagues in the West Virginia congressional delegation, including Congressman David McKinley and Congressman Evan Jenkins, and others. We are going to be introducing a resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act, blocking the Obama administration's stream protection rule.

Once this resolution of disapproval is passed by Congress--and I believe that it will be, and signed by President Trump, which I believe that it will be--I am confident that both things will happen: The stream protection rule will be nullified, and the Department of the Interior will be prohibited from imposing a similar rule without permission from Congress.

The stream protection rule deserves to be eliminated through the Congressional Review Act process. Despite its title--because why would we get rid of something called the stream protection rule--this rule will do little to actually protect our streams, but if left in place, this rule would cost even more coal jobs in my State and across the country that have already been devastated.

West Virginia's former Department of Environmental Protection secretary Randy Huffman told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, on which I served last Congress, that the proposed version of the stream protection rule was ``an unnecessary, uncalled for political gesture.''

I would like to say that Secretary Huffman was serving under a Democratic Governor in my State.

The stream protection rule is the result of an incredibly flawed regulatory process that excluded State officials. Of the 10 States that began the regulatory process--people were asked to join together to begin this process--working with the Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining, eight of those States eventually removed themselves from the process because of the Department's unwillingness to actually seriously consider their input. In other words, they were just there for window dressing.

Ohio's chief of Mineral Resources Management Larry Erdos told the Environment and Public Works Committee last February that ``OSM has not provided for meaningful participation with the cooperating or commenting agency states.''

Congress took action to instruct the Department of the Interior to reengage with the States, realizing what was happening here, before moving forward with this rulemaking process. However, despite this direction from lawmakers in the Congress, the Department failed to address the State concerns.

Wyoming director of Environmental Quality, Todd Parfitt, told the Energy and Natural Resources Committee that ``the failure to engage cooperating agencies throughout this process is reflected in the poor quality of the proposed rule.'' He called on the Office of Surface Mining to withdraw the rule and reengage with States and other stakeholders.

Last week, West Virginia's newly appointed secretary of Environmental Protection--again under a new Democratic Governor--Austin Caperton wrote to congressional leaders detailing our State's concerns with the stream protection rule. Secretary Caperton gave three main reasons for West Virginia's opposition to this rule.

First, he said that the rule upsets the statutory balance between environmental protection and allowing coal mining to take place in the first place. Second, the rule conflicts with the congressionally directed role of the States to be the exclusive regulators of mining activities. And third, the rule conflicts with the Federal Clean Water Act and State water quality standards--pretty broad-ranging concerns.

The concerns from environmental regulators in mining States across the country explain why 14 States, including the State of West Virginia, have already filed lawsuits to stop this stream protection rule. Fifteen State attorneys general, led by West Virginia's attorney general Patrick Morrisey, have written to Congress asking that this rule be blocked using the Congressional Review Act.

State environmental regulators are not alone in their opposition to this rule. Cecil Roberts, who is the president of the United Mine Workers of America, wrote just last week in support of this resolution of disapproval. He said that ``the last thing America's coal-producing regions need at this time is another regulation that will have the effect of reducing employment even more and further stifling economic development.''

West Virginia cannot afford another job-killing regulation that once again inserts Washington and their one-size-fits-all standard into a regulatory process that is supposed to be effectively managed--and is effectively managed--by our State agencies.

The stream protection rule is a flawed policy that was born out of a flawed process.

The rule deserves to be eliminated promptly, and I encourage my colleagues to cosponsor the McConnell-Capito resolution of disapproval and to vote to block the rule in the coming days.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, I rise today to talk about an issue that is important to all of us.

We are, obviously, a nation in transition. Recently, the Senate took the first steps to repeal ObamaCare and begin a transition toward policies that will ensure continued access to health care with more affordability and flexibility for all. We need a stable transition that will empower Americans to make the best health care decisions for their families.

In my home State of West Virginia, ObamaCare has been very difficult for many. It has meant skyrocketing premiums and skyrocketing copays and deductibles for families and small businesses. It has meant little, if any, choice of insurers. As a matter of fact, for the first several years, we had no choice. We now have two insurers in several counties, but in the beginning, the entire State had no choice.

It has meant fewer choices of doctors and hospitals, as networks shrink and plans become more restrictive. Now we must repair what can be fixed, scrap what is not working, and create a better health care reality for all Americans.

I have spoken with small business owners who have absorbed the cost of increased insurance, but their employees are getting less coverage. I have spoken to families who may have health insurance, but due to the high deductibles and copays, they don't use it. They can't afford to even go. I have also heard from those in my State who have real concerns about what this transition will mean to them. This is especially true for those who receive coverage through Medicaid.

My State is one of the States that did an expanded Medicaid. For all of these West Virginians--and there are somewhere around 177,000 new folks who are on Medicaid--whether they are the Medicaid recipients or the business owners and families who are currently struggling, we need to have health insurance that works for everybody.

So I want them to know--and many of them have called my office, and I have talked with them a lot in our State--that I am listening to their concerns. As we move forward, I am working to balance each of these needs and ensure access in West Virginia and across the Nation to affordable, quality health care.

To achieve this goal, I am joining Senators Cassidy, Collins, and Isakson to introduce an alternative to ObamaCare which was introduced yesterday. It is called the Patient Freedom Act. It sounds good. We are really good at making names that sound good, but the Patient Freedom Act lives up to its name.

The Patient Freedom Act of 2017 removes ObamaCare's most burdensome regulations. It provides our States, which are closest to the people who are accessing health care, the opportunity and funding to ensure that those currently covered by Medicaid expansion are protected and retain their health coverage. It returns authority to the States and provides more health care choices and better insurance options to individuals and families. It keeps important consumer protections, such as coverage for preexisting conditions, and extends coverage to children and dependents until the age of 26--both very popular parts of the ACA. It protects the Federal black lung benefits program, which is especially important in my State of West Virginia and the surrounding areas.

In addition to all of those important changes, it gives States a pathway forward for replacing ObamaCare. Specifically, following repeal, which we know we are going to do, States will have three options. First, a State, if it so chooses, could choose to reinstate ObamaCare, or a State could go without Federal assistance and opt to not receive any Federal funding for tax credits or Medicaid expansion. Finally, a State could choose an innovative replacement plan where the State determines its own insurance regulations. In this scenario, the State would be eligible for 95 percent of the funds it would receive under ObamaCare, and the Medicaid expansion would be fully funded. For a State like West Virginia that has already expanded Medicaid, the State could either keep its Medicaid expansion as is, or they could convert it to subsidies to help individuals purchase the private insurance.

Under this plan, individuals would use a Roth Health Savings Account to purchase health care. This would enable uninsured individuals to purchase health insurance that meets their specific needs. States would have the option to auto-enroll uninsured individuals into a standard health care plan, with individuals able to easily opt out if they didn't want it. Auto enrollment would ensure stability and soundness to our insurance markets.

The Patient Freedom Act is a smart, innovative way forward and meets the varied needs of people in my State of West Virginia and across the country. The legislation reflects Senator Cassidy's experience as a physician, and I thank him for his innovation--he has worked with patients who are uninsured--and I appreciate his leadership so much, as I do Senator Collins in particular and Senator Isakson as another cosponsor. As other replacement plans are drafted and introduced in the Senate, I will evaluate those proposals to ensure they meet West Virginians' health care needs. I am committed to replacing ObamaCare with a system that offers us more choice. We can figure this out; we know what we need--lowers cost gives patients and families more control--because, together, we can achieve a health care system that works for everybody.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the valiant effort of a friend and colleague, 2nd Lt. Joshua ``Josh'' Nelson, West Virginia Air National Guard. I have come to know Josh through his service in the West Virginia Legislature, and feel that it is most fitting to acknowledge a recent good deed.

Earlier this year, Josh stopped by his local Wal-Mart, near Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, to pick up some fish hooks for a family trip. This small stop would soon turn out to be an experience that he will, likely, never forget.

The following account is taken from the U.S. Air Force News, written by Joel Langton, 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs, published October 24, 2014:

The West Virginia Air National Guardsman was walking to the

Hunting and Fishing section when he heard a woman say,

``Stop, put it down!''

``I could tell she was stressed and she sounded

frightened,'' said Nelson. ``I looked into the aisle, and

this young man had a knife to a woman's stomach.''

According to police reports, the young man was mad at his

mother, who he had a knife to, because she wouldn't buy him a

gun. Nelson told his wife Brittany to go alert the store

manager and call the police.

Nelson, who has a concealed weapons permit stepped up

beside the woman.

``I put my hand on my pistol where he'd notice, and then I

stepped in between them,'' said Nelson. ``I kept demanding he

hand me the knife. I wanted him to see only one option. As I

was standing beside that lady, I felt like I was responsible

for her life. I was going to do whatever I had to do to

protect her.''

Then, according to the police report, Nelson went from

trying to stop a murder to trying to stop a suicide when the

assailant turned the knife on himself.

Nelson pointed to his training and the Air National Guard

and previously in the Marine Corp as helping him talk the

young man down.

By this time, several Wal-Mart employees had joined

Nelson's effort. ``When he handed me the knife, he turned

like he was going to just leave,'' said Nelson. ``We told him

he needed to have a seat and wait for the police to arrive.''

``It was the most surreal five minutes of my life while

waiting for the police,'' said Nelson. He added that

throughout the entire event, he was never scared.

``I just relied on all of the training I've had,'' he said.

This event was just another storied chapter in an almost

Hollywoodesque life for Nelson. He's gone from working in

coal mines, to the Marine Corp, back to the mines, and today,

when he's not refining his flying skills, he serves in the

West Virginia legislature as a delegate.

The former Liberty University student body president points

to his grandfather for his love of flying and the Founding

Fathers for his passion to serve his nation and state . . .

When Nelson graduates Oct. 24, he will be serving like the

Founding Fathers never dreamed as he flies C-130s around the

globe for the WVANG's 130th Airlift Wing.''

The first time I met Josh, I knew he was a smart, caring and capable young man. This is just one instance of Josh's outstanding service to the citizens of this country, whether in uniform or civilian clothes.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to recognize the heroism and selflessness exhibited by 2nd Lt. Joshua ``Josh'' Nelson, WVANG. He could have easily turned away, but he chose to become involved and save two lives, instead of one. I would also like to thank him for his service to the State of West Virginia and the United States of America. It is indeed an honor to call him friend and fellow West Virginian.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the citizens of Jackson County, and the Friends of Kenna on an exciting community development project that has taken place in my district. Kenna Elementary School is the first new school construction in the county in 40 years. The unincorporated community of Kenna, illustrates what is best about America and the State of West Virginia. It is a rural area that believes in hard work and helping ones' neighbor. The geography of the area physically separates its residents, but that does not deter it from making an extra effort at creating community. That's why I think it is

important to recognize the work of the Friends of Kenna, a group of residents, whose work has resulted in a state-of-the-art outdoor learning environment, playground and walking track in Jackson County, as a part of the new Kenna Elementary School. The new school playground and track is available for all of the residents of Jackson County to use and should serve as a shining example of the importance of fitness and health. I would like to applaud all of those who rallied together to bring about this substantive change.

I would like to recognize The Friends of Kenna Association and local residents who are responsible for this extremely worthy project. Special recognition for the effort behind the project should go to Kerynn Sovic, Sonya White, Deanna Cunningham, Jessie Cox, Jessie Thompson, and Melissa Donelson. I would also like to salute the following: Mike Gwinn, John Zimmer, Corky McCorkle, John & Gina Myers family, Larry Thompsons, State Senator Mitch Carmichael, State Delegate Steve Westfall, Steve Wedge, Steve Chancey, Jim & Sally Laine, Amy Mellace, Larry & Terry Hersman, Paul & Aiden Barnette, Erin & Michael Sovic, Lisa Quisenberry, Gale Donelson, Robert & Terri McCloy, Tanna Craigo, Kam Barnette, Patrick Anderson, Robert, Rachel & Sarah White; Christian Walker, John & Patsy Stanley, Lori, Mack & Daney Brookover; Greg, Shannon & Ace Eagle; Jason & Tucker Landis, Steve, Brock & Luke Matson; Steve, Melissa, Michael & Jarrett Lough; Luke Lopez, Brenda & Sammy Brown, Jimmy, Hilary & Joyce Groves; Janice Stump, Mike & Rita Casdorph, Raymon Cunningham, Eduardo & Ellen Goff, Jessie Cox, Dr. Tom Layne, Arden Lantz, Bill Barnette, Donna Spencer, Toby & Christy Scholl, Mrs. Rucker & Children, Jill & Mike McFee, Vernon & Paul Holstine, Todd Games, Tabitha Martin, Dylan Martin, Toby & Denise Hershey, Josie & Clay Eisenhard, Bill Shanklin, Karen Barnette, Crystal, Paige & Johnny Harrison; Karen, Patrick, Everett & Garnet Kish; Sherry Dillard, Rylan & Erin Petry & Grandpa Bird; Krista Baker, Heather, Elliot & Hailey Baria; Juanita Wimmer, Michelle Brotherton, Bob, Terri & Ellie McCloy; Brandi, Trey & Kieren Poff; Kenneth, Kendall & Lucas Allison, Dave Miller, Leslie & Mark Stover; Cardinal Concrete, Atlas Poured Walls, BBU Service, CJ Enterprises, TomKat Construction, Ben's Bobcat & Backhoe Service, Life Tite Metal Products, Dougherty Company, Bobby Bostic Masonry, Jackson County Community Foundation, Highmark Foundation, Action for Healthy Kids, Sisters of St. Joseph Charitable Funds, McDonough Foundation, Little Kanawha Resources Conservation & Development, Jackson County Home Builders Association, Sayre Excavating, Dairy Queen of Ripley, Blosser Concrete, Francis Brothers, Alpha Delta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, EQT, Boy Scout Pack 419, Floyd Bowlby, Brickstreet Insurance and to all who donated and volunteered, for their generous contribution to the construction.

And finally, I would like to acknowledge Blaine Hess, Superintendent of Jackson County Schools for his oversight and commitment to the Friends of Kenna and this very important project.

Mr. Speaker, in closing I would like to congratulate the Friends of Kenna for their investment in the next generation through the construction of the new Kenna Elementary School and its Outdoor Environmental Learning playground and track. Community effort, such as this, makes me proud of my state and proud to be a West Virginian.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Colonel Kenneth ``Ken'' Alden Shaw (Ret.) who passed away Oct. 19, 2014 following a long battle with Parkinson's disease. He was 80 years old and will be missed by many who he touched through his various professional, military and civic affiliations throughout his life.

Ken was a native of my hometown, Charleston and graduated from Stonewall Jackson High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from Kansas State University in 1957. Following graduation, Ken moved to Ravenswood and was employed by Kaiser Aluminum as a chemical engineer. Ken worked for Kaiser for 28 years, including his role as Carbon Plant Superintendent with his final post as Environmental Services Superintendent. In this role, he managed the air, water, solid and hazardous waste environmental systems and procedures at the aluminum plant. In 1976, Ken also served as Carbon Plant Superintendent for the Kaiser Aluminum Smelter in Ghana, Africa.

Ken had a long and distinguished military career in the West Virginia Army National Guard. He served in various line, staff and command positions with the Engineer Units of the State, which included Battalion Commander of the 1092nd Engineer Battalion. He further served as the Operations Officer and Commander of the 111th Engineer Group. In 1963 he completed flight training, becoming a fixed wing, rotary wing and instrument qualified pilot. He served on continuous flight status until 1980 and was awarded the Master Aviator badge. Colonel Shaw's military training included 34 specialty schools, including the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. Colonel Shaw was placed on active duty in 1986 and appointed the United States Property and Fiscal Officer for West Virginia in Buckhannon.

Ken was an active member of the community and held positions on many organizations in Jackson County, as well as national organizations such as Rotary International, Toastmasters International and Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Ken was a longtime member of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Ravenswood.

Ken is survived by his wife, Gayle Twigger-Shaw; his sisters, Katherine Bowns of Tampa, Fla., and Nancy Burns of Ashville, N.C.; his children: daughters, Janie Frist (Moe) of Morgantown, Juli Seaman (Steve) of Leesburg, Va., and Carolyn Yost (Brian) of Clarksburg; and sons, Jim Spano (Beverly) of Ravenswood, Joe Spano (Donna) of Charleston and Mike Twigger of Charleston. Ken had six grandchildren, Joseph Spano Jr., Samantha Spano, Jessica Spano, Ian Frist, Jillian Frist and Hunter Yost.

Mr. Speaker, the State of West Virginia, our communities, and indeed, the United States of America owe Colonel Shaw a debt of gratitude for his many years of distinguished service in his professional, military and personal life. I am honored to have known him and call him a fellow West Virginian.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Flatwoods Red Hat Tulips, a local chapter of the National Red Hat Society, an organization of women who provide community service in the town of Flatwoods and throughout Braxton County, West Virginia.

The Flatwoods Red Hat Tulips were founded in 2005 and have spent the past nine years organizing events and volunteering to make their community a better place to live, work, and raise a family. The impact of these women has been felt by an array of causes, including well known groups such as The American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, March of Dimes, Bikers for Babies, and The American Heart Association. In addition, the ladies have held fundraisers for local organizations like the Braxton County Animal Shelter and the local Lions Club, which helps provide eye exams and glasses to children. Every year in May, the ladies host a candlelight service at the local Hospice Memorial to honor members of the community who have passed away.

Just next month, the Flatwoods Red Hat Tulips will host an event benefitting the local animal shelter's Capture, Neuter, and Release Program, which aims at combating the stray dog and cat problem in the community. They remain an active group through the year and meet regularly at different restaurants in the area and can often be found visiting the Braxton County Senior Center in Sutton.

The Flatwoods Red Hat Tulips are led by Queen Mum Judy Norvell and Vice Queen Joyce Black.

Mr. Speaker, Flatwoods, Braxton County, and indeed the State of West Virginia, owe the Flatwoods Red Hat Tulips many thanks for their hard work and dedication to the community and their neighbors. I am honored to represent such a distinguished group of women in Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Judy McCauley upon her retirement from the U.S. Small Business Administration as its West Virginia District Director. Judy has served as the state's District Director since 2004 and has worked diligently with West Virginia's small businesses providing lending assistance, government contracting assistance, business counseling and training, disaster assistance, international business opportunities and compliance. Judy also had oversight of the Small Business Development Centers, Women's Business Center and SCORE Chapters.

Prior to her appointment, McCauley served as procurement center representative, commercial marketing representative, and contracting officer for SBA in western Pennsylvania and West Virginia, overseeing the release of procurement opportunities and contract awards.

She was recently appointed to the 2011-2012 Affiliate Leadership Council for the West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Small Business Development Centers, West Virginia Export Council, Glenville State College Department of Business and Vision Shared Entrepreneurship Committee. McCauley serves on the SBA Administrator's Area Director/District Director Council and functions as the SBA point-of-contact for the West Virginia FEMA Voluntary Agency Liaisons and the West Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters. She is actively involved in the statewide collegiate business plan competition, hosted by West Virginia University and is a recipient of the West Virginia Women in Business Champion Award.

McCauley recently served on the SBA Administrator's National Advisory Council, representing the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, and West Virginia. She served on the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce Small Business Committee and the Regional Contracting Assistance Center Board of Advisors. McCauley was instrumental in the creation of West Virginia's premier federal procurement conference, ``Teaming to Win'', and served as chairman of the board, and conference director.

As a member of the Northern West Virginia Chapter of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA), McCauley served as chapter president and national director. She is a recipient of the chapter's ``Award of Excellence,'' the national ``Blanche Witte Award,'' a

contributor to NCMA's national magazine, and a featured speaker at the national conference. McCauley is an NCMA Fellow.

A native of West Virginia, McCauley earned her bachelor's and associate's degrees from Fairmont State University. She currently resides in Fairmont with her husband, Matt and her daughter, Lauren.

Mr. Speaker, the State of West Virginia owes Judy McCauley a tremendous debt of gratitude for her many years of service with the Small Business Administration. It is my honor to thank Judy for her dedication to small business owners all over West Virginia, and congratulate her on her much deserved retirement. I am proud to call her friend and fellow Mountaineer.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 100th birthday of Mrs. Daisy Alton, and to honor her many contributions to the communities she has proudly served.

Daisy was born on July 27, 1914 in Virginia. At the age of ten, her parents moved their family to Pittsburgh so that their children could attend public high school. Public education for African-American children stopped at eighth grade in the segregated South. In 1932, Daisy came to West Virginia to pursue higher education at West Virginia State College (now West Virginia State University). She took graduate courses at Atlanta University before returning to Pittsburgh to become a social worker. In 1939, she married the late Cheatham Alston, a Kanawha County educator, and briefly resided in Cabin Creek, until finally settling in Chesapeake, West Virginia.

After moving back to the Kanawha Valley, Mrs. Alston chose a career in education and worked as a teacher at many segregated schools throughout Kanawha County. When the United States Supreme Court declared segregated schools as unconstitutional in 1954, Daisy was chosen as a test teacher in a two-part process to integrate Kanawha County Schools. In the years following school integration, Daisy continued to teach and later became a teaching principal at Institute Elementary. At the age of 68, Mrs. Daisy Alston was honored by Kanawha County Schools as ``Teacher of the Year.''

Though Daisy officially retired as a teacher, she never stopped teaching and working throughout her community. She has been active in the Upper Kanawha Valley as a civic volunteer and organizer for numerous activities and events. She is a member of Simpson Memorial United Methodist Church; United Methodist Women; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; and the Charleston Women's Improvement League. Daisy served as a board member for various organizations, including the Cabin Creek Clinic, which grew into the Cabin Creek Health Systems, a non- profit community health center with multiple locations. In 1998, she was recognized for her contributions by her hometown and named Chesapeake, West Virginia's ``Citizen of the Year.''

Daisy Alston still lives in Chesapeake, she is a mother of two children: Marian Alston (W.I. ``Bill'' Hairston) and Cheatham Alston, Jr., and has one grandchild, Bill Hairston.

Mr. Speaker, the state of West Virginia and indeed our nation owes Mrs. Daisy Alston our heartfelt congratulations on becoming a centenarian, as well as sincere gratitude for her many years of devotion to her community. It is people like Daisy who make serving West Virginia's Second Congressional District such a distinct honor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Teays Valley Christian School, located in Scott Depot, Putnam County, West Virginia, who is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its first graduating class with a Gala on October 18, 2014. I am happy to say that, under the direction of Principal Jack Davis, teachers and staff, Teays Valley Christian School has become one of the finest private, Christian schools in the state of West Virginia.

Founded in 1979, Teays Valley Christian School started in converted Sunday school classrooms at Scott Depot Christ Fellowship, offering kindergarten through 8th grade classes to approximately 65 students. The school expanded, offering kindergarten to 12th grade and currently, 351 students are enrolled from Putnam, Kanawha, Mason and Cabell counties. In addition, the student body represents 83 churches which support the school's emphasis on ``unity of spirit across denominational lines.''

The school's mission statement reflects the core values of the school and the reason for its formation: ``Teays Valley Christian School is dedicated to working in partnership with the family to provide a high quality, balanced, Bible-based education that develops the essential knowledge, skills, and character traits necessary for students to make a lifelong commitment to Jesus Christ and to fulfill God's purposes in their lives.''

Teays Valley Christian School is accredited through the Association of Christian School International (ACSI) and the North Central Association (NCA). It is affiliated with the Association of Christian Schools International, North Central Association, ACSI Ohio River Valley, West Virginia Christian Athletic Tournament, and the West Virginia Department of Education.

The school is proud of its rigorous academic curriculum and qualified staff that have provided an education to over 600 students, 90 percent of which have attended and completed college. The school's college entrance exam scores are consistently higher than state and national averages. The school is proud of two national merit scholars who have graduated over the past 5 years. A well rounded program is offered to students including programs in the fields of music, fine arts, drama, as well as athletics.

Since its humble startup, Teays Valley Christian School has evolved into a full scale academic institution offering students a well rounded faith based academic curriculum. The emphasis on hard work and academic achievement with a Christian foundation has proven to be a successful formula for the school, its students and alumni.

Mr. Speaker, in closing I would like to Congratulate Teays Valley Christian School on its success and on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of its first graduating class. I wish the school great success with its upcoming Gala celebrating all graduates of this special academic institution. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of the next 30 years of academic excellence at Teays Valley Christian School. I am truly privileged to serve such a distinguished group of West Virginians.