Floor Statements

I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman of the full committee, the gentleman from Massachusetts, for his bipartisan way of approaching this particular issue. He is correct when he says that we've gone back and forth on this over, I think, almost a decade on the way to reform this program. We certainly want to see that.

Everyone here should be in agreement that the National Flood Insurance Program needs reform. The chairman spoke of that. But I think we can also agree it would be irresponsible and unfair to many communities and areas where flooding occurs to let the program expire at the end of September 2009 without attempting to fix it, which is why we need to pass another short-term extension today.

The National Flood Insurance Program is currently carrying a debt in excess of more than $19 billion, primarily from property damage claims that were paid after the series of big storms that hit Florida in 2004 and the gulf coast in 2005. According to the Government Accountability Office, the NFIP is underfunded by design because many property owners continue to receive subsidized premium rates under long-standing provisions in place since the flood insurance rate mapping system went into effect in 1974. We need to deal with these issues. It's going to take bipartisan leadership on both sides, and I think we have that commitment to get it done. Many of us believe it's time for Congress to work toward encouraging more private insurance and reinsurance capacity to help protect at-risk communities and high-risk regions against the potential damages of flooding as well as other natural disasters. We are committed to pressing forward with reforms as soon as possible and urge others to join us in making this a bipartisan effort as well as a higher priority in this Congress.

In addition to supporting the need for a short-term flood insurance extension bill, I support a small but important technical change that would end the program's illogical and unwarranted discrimination against State and local funding of levee construction and improvement projects. I commend my friend, Congresswoman Matsui from Sacramento, for her leadership and her thoughtful and constructive proposal. I also would like to salute Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins of Kansas, an active member of our committee, for lending her support. As I previously stated, I know that we have a great need for reform in this program, and hopefully that will be our ultimate goal. But at the same time, I think it's wise for this Congress to extend this program for another 6 months as we would do in this legislation.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I don't live in a house on stilts, I live on a mountain, so I don't need stilts. I guess that's a good thing.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time and urge support of this legislation.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3326--Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010.

Awarded under: RDTE

Alcan Aluminum Armor Project, Alcan Rolled Products Ravenswood, PO Box 68, Ravenswood, WV 26164

Funding will go towards developing advanced armor more resilient against attacks, providing troops in the field with better protection.

Awarded under: RDTE,A

Direct Carbon Fuel Cell, DCFC for DoD L.C.N College of Engineering/ ECE Dept. 405 Fayette Pike Montgomery, WV 24136

To develop a portable power generating system with a fuel processor that is capable of extracting carbon from coal

Awarded under: RDTE,A

Project National Shield Integration Center, Mid-Atlantic Technology Research and Innovation Center, 3200 Kanawha Turnpike, Charleston, WV 25303

The purpose of the PNS program is to establish a nationally integrated system-of-systems framework that can effectively protect the nation against terrorist attacks and provide an effective collaborative system of command, control and communications that will assist any effected region of the United States to deal with the effects of natural or man-made disasters on our population and critical infrastructure.

We all share a desire to enact health reform that lowers costs and improves care, but I am less convinced that the plan being developed across the aisle is the most responsible approach. We're talking about a bill with a $1.5 trillion price tag. We have the Congressional Budget Office saying the bill fails to control costs. We know it doesn't address legal reform; we know that a government-run health care plan threatens the insurance of millions of Americans; and we know that the bill's push to tax small businesses threatens jobs all across the country.

I just talked to a small business owner from Calhoun County. Her quote is, ``This scares me.'' This is not the time to risk more jobs. I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join us in real dialogue. This is an issue too important for one party to go it alone.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3293--Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

Awarded under: Department of Education Higher Education (includes

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3288--Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010

Awarded under: Federal Highway Administration Surface Transportation Priorities

WV Route 480 Pedestrian Bridge and Safety Improvements

Corporation of Shepherdstown

PO Box 248 Shepherdstown, WV 25443

Project will construct a pedestrian bridge spanning over WV Rt. 480 and improved pedestrian and vehicular traffic conditions upon entry into the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.

Awarded under: Federal Highway Administration Surface Transportation Priorities

U.S. Route 33

City of Spencer

116 Court Street Spencer, WV 25276

Funds will be used for the continuing construction of U.S. Route 33.

Awarded under: Housing and Urban Development: Economic Development Initiative

Harpers Ferry Interpretative Welcome Center

Jefferson County Convention & Visitors Bureau (JCCVB)

37 Washington Ct, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425

This project is to create a full service ``green'' Welcome Center/ Attraction along Rt. 340, the eastern Gateway into West Virginia and across from the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. Nearly 5 million visitors come here annually.

Awarded under: Housing and Urban Development: Economic Development Initiative

Morgan County Ice House Art & Community Center

PO Box 248 Berkeley Springs, WV 25411

The Morgan Arts Council, owner of the Ice House, has been renovating the former cold storage building in the heart of downtown Berkeley Springs for use as an economic development, education and art center. The requested amount of funding is needed to match a WV Cultural Facilities grant which is already beyond original end date. The extension granted is soon to expire. The total amount of funding with your allocation plus the state grant would allow construction of necessary infrastructure to finish development of the second floor and of the upper two floors of the four-story, 40,000 sf structure.

Mr. Speaker, for West Virginia's families, it's jobs, health care and the economy that matters the most to them. They've seen trillions of dollars spent, and they see Washington proposing to spend trillions more. They want to know where are the jobs with the stimulus? They want to know why the only apparent answer here in Washington is more spending and more borrowing.

My constituents want their voices heard. Recently, I sent a survey out and received 3,500 responses on what do people want on health care. They want to keep the coverage that they have. More than two-thirds are troubled by the idea of a government-run health care. Three-fourths are shocked by the thought of yet another trillion-dollar program. And the vast majority think that this is not the time to be raising taxes.

Unfortunately, the plan moving through the House right now fails to address all of these. It fails to control costs. It taxes small businesses. It threatens to force families into government-run health care. Simply put, this is not the health care reform my constituents and I are looking for. What they're looking for are jobs.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the House Republican standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2638 Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, And Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009 (109th Congress)

Requesting Member: Shelley Moore Capito

Bill Number: H.R. 2638--Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, And Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009

Account: Defense O&M Army

Legal Name of Requesting Entity: HMS Technologies

Address of Requesting Entity: 206 West Burke St., Martinsburg, WV 25401

Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $1,200,000: The National Veterans Technology Consortium (NVTC) is comprised of Veterans and business leaders who have joined to create careers in information technology (IT) for Service Disabled and other Veterans. NVTC has teamed with the Army Publishing Directorate (APD) to develop a proof- of-concept program to digitize, tag, and database Army records and operational material in order to meet Army regulatory requirements and achieve APD's mission.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 3183--Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Awarded under: Corps of Engineers, Construction Account, Central West Virginia, Corps of Engineers.

Baltimore and Huntington Districts

Funds will be used for continuation of authorized waste and drinking water improvement activities under section 571 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1999.

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chairwoman, I would like to thank the chairman of the subcommittee and the ranking member for the great work they do for veterans and our military construction around the world.

I appreciate the opportunity today to rise to offer an amendment to the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill that would increase funding for a program that provides free legal services to our veterans under the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Account.

I am sure all of us as Members of Congress have talked to a veteran that has not received the benefits that they feel they are fairly entitled to. And if that happens, they can appeal the decision in the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. However, as many veterans are on fixed incomes, they cannot afford the costly legal services associated with appealing a Department of Veterans Affairs decision.

The present law entitles certain veterans who wish to appeal to free legal services so that they can receive a fair hearing that they are entitled to without the burden of huge legal fees.

Veterans from throughout my district have expressed their concern that many veterans are struggling with the appeals process, and with so many of our warriors returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, we must take measures to ensure that all of our veterans' needs are provided for.

My amendment would increase the veterans' legal services account by $1 million, providing for more services for our brave veterans.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this very important amendment. I appreciate the opportunity to offer it.

I reserve my time.

I appreciate the chairman's support and the support of the ranking member. I yield back my time.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, as we know, funding for rural water projects is vital to the quality of life in our local communities. Small communities have the greatest difficulty providing safe, affordable public drinking water due to their limited resources, and this amendment is designed to help address this challenge.

Helping small communities better manage their water resources is absolutely critical to rural America. Across this country, over 90 percent of the community water systems serve a population of less than 10,000 people, and are eligible to receive support from the USDA Water and Waste Disposal programs.

USDA water loans and grants allow communities to build or extend water systems and repay the loans at reasonable rates and terms. These important programs provide small communities that possess limited technical and financial resources the tools they need to protect their drinking water quality.

Small and rural communities rely on technical assistance and training from their State rural water associations to overcome their lack of economies of scale, provide critical onsite technical expertise, and comply with Federal rules and regulations. Without this assistance, many could not construct new systems, expand existing ones, or comply with mandates.

My amendment would restore funding of the Rural Water and Wastewater Disposal program to the fiscal year 2009 level, and ensure that communities have access to the technical resources they need to supply safe and affordable water.

At the President's request, the committee reduced funding to the Rural Water and Wastewater Disposal program by $10.038 million. But just yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee recommended the Rural Water and Waste Disposal program receive $22.5 million above the President's request.

We must continue to protect important rural water systems which are critical to the economic viability of any small community by maintaining funding for the Rural Water and Wastewater Disposal program. I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

I thank the chairwoman for her support for this amendment. I would like to mention that I did circulate a letter in support of this program, and we had great bipartisan support in that letter and I appreciate the support across the aisle. I would like to thank the ranking member as well.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2874, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Awarded under: COPS TECH GRANT, Kanawha Prosecuters Case Management, Kanawha County Prosecuting Attorney, 700 Washington Street, East Charleston, WV 25301.

This project would allow for the cost of implementation of the case management system, integration of the system with law enforcement and hardware needed for both systems.

Awarded under: COPS TECH GRANT, Spencer PD Computer System, Spencer Police Department, 116 Court St., Spencer, WV 25276.

Funding will be used to purchase a computer system for processing criminals and case management.

Awarded under: COPS TECH GRANT, Weston Police Department Technology Upgrade, Weston Police Department, 102 West 2nd Street, Weston, WV 26452.

Funding would help establish a computer network in all police vehicles that is networked with the 911 center and the Weston Police Department and surrounding counties.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican Leadership standards on earmarks, I am

submitting the following information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2996 Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.

Awarded under: U.S. Forest Service Land Acquisition, Nature Conservancy--Monongahela National Forest, U.S. Forest Service, 200 Sycamore Street, Elkins, WV 26241.

Funds would go towards the acquisition 1,210 acres within the Monongahela National Forest.

Awarded under: Save America's Treasures, Claymont Court Claymont, Society for Continuous Education, 667 Huyett Road, Charles Town, WV 25414.

This funding will go to underwrite initial phases for restoration of Claymount Court, a national historic site of great significance.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the remarkable achievements of William ``Bill'' Hicks, the beloved mayor of Romney, West Virginia.

Bill is a veteran of the Second World War's Pacific Theater where he was involved in navigation and sighting for secret bombing missions. Just fifteen days after returning home from the war, he married Thelma Elizabeth Berg on December 27, 1945.

Together, they made Romney their home on July 1, 1964 and have lived there ever since. Bill worked for Western Union Telegraph Company where he played a key role in setting up the first transcontinental microwave relay communications in the U.S. His work involved implementing communications infrastructure for private and government entities located throughout West Virginia and the surrounding areas. Through his work, Bill also developed a passion for public service.

He was first elected to the Romney City Council in 1968 and later was elected as Mayor of Romney in 1991. After more than 40 years of service, Mayor Hicks recently stepped down, but still remains committed to serving his community. He has been involved in numerous community organizations. He also serves on the Hampshire County Development Authority, the Potomac Valley Transit Authority, the Romney VFW, and the American Boy Scout Committee, just to name a few.

Bill and his wife Thelma remain committed to their community and their family. They raised five children, boast eight grandchildren and now have five great-grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to honor Romney's beloved Mayor and long- time distinguished public servant, William ``Bill'' Hicks for his years of service and contributions to Hampshire County and the State of West Virginia. Mayor Hicks is a friend and a fellow West Virginian. I wish him all the best in the years to come.

Madam Speaker, at a time when families are already struggling to meet their basic needs, the last thing we need is a new energy tax on all consumers, and that's exactly what this cap-and-trade bill is. It is a national energy tax that will burden consumers, burden businesses, and particularly burden the lower-income families in this country. It picks regional winners and losers, with coal-dependent States like mine, West Virginia, bearing the brunt of this bill.

Under this bill, we will actually be penalized for our lower-cost power and will have to pay more to continue using our greatest resource, coal. We should be innovating towards clean coal and carbon sequestration where we can continue to use our most abundant resource.

We all want cleaner sources of fuel and more efficient energy, but this cap-and-trade bill is not the way forward. This bill is a jobs killer. This bill has real costs for real people. Vote ``no'' on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor The Samaritan Inn, which took its first resident in 1989. Since it began, the Inn has served over 400 men through outreach or residential housing.

The Samaritan Inn is transitional residential living with supportive services for up to 12

homeless adult men at a time. Men may stay for up to 24 months. The Inn provides for group living in a safe, supportive, home-like environment. The project has as its primary mission to promote residential stability, increase skill level, and increase income which leads to greater self determination, thereby enabling the men serviced to move to permanent housing.

Specifically, the Inn: (1) provides safe, decent temporary shelter for homeless men in transition from homelessness to independent living in permanent housing; (2) provides case management services that emphasize healthy relationships, financial responsibility, education and training, household management, work ethics, mental and physical health, and responsible personal behavior; (3) provides opportunity to recover self-esteem, build confidence, restore dignity; and (4) provides life skill training and job development skills required to support and sustain independent living in permanent housing.

For a number of years, Samaritan Inn was the only HUD supported transitional housing available for men in the Kanawha Valley. Today it is one of only two HUD supported transitional facilities for men in this area.

The Inn is a stately Victorian home-like facility that is conveniently located in downtown Charleston and is close to bus lines and businesses.

Upon entry, each resident works with staff to establish individualized goals designed to overcome the obstacles to permanent, independent living. Each resident is required to work, pay up to 30% of his income in rent, maintain his own living area, share the cooking and cleaning responsibilities, participate in a life skills curriculum, substance abuse education, and participate in community volunteer activities.

The Samaritan Inn provides a safe environment to recover from homelessness, offers services that permanently change the lives of men who have been homeless, and empowers men to be productive independent citizens of our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Colonel Dana R. Hurst, who will retire from the United States Army effective October 1, 2009, after more than twenty-seven years of service to our nation.

Colonel Hurst, originally from Glen Ellyn, Illinois, graduated from Kansas State University with a Baccalaureate of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. In June of 1982, Dana enlisted in the Infantry where he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers after completion of Officer Candidate School. His command and staff assignments have carried him all over the United States as well as several posts overseas. His first-rate service has earned him major military awards and decorations including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and Army Achievement Medal.

For the past three years, Colonel Hurst has been the Commander and District Engineer of the Huntington District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He has had the responsibility of carrying out the districts mission within the Ohio River Basin, which includes more than 300 navigable miles of the Ohio River in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio, plus nine major tributaries. Within the 2nd congressional district of West Virginia, Colonel Hurst has played a vital role in completing a 100 foot by 800 foot lock at Marmet which has considerably shortened the time the navigation industry uses while reducing costs when moving West Virginia products to national and international markets.

It is an honor to recognize Colonel Dana R. Hurst as he retires from the United States Army. I want to congratulate him for his more than twenty years of service and hope he enjoys his retirement with his wife Ingrid and two children, Garrett and Mallory.