Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of my good friend, Ms. Kathryn Gene Salem, Director of Mason County Action Group.

Ms. Salem has lovingly guided and nurtured the Mason County Action Group, molding it into an effective and productive agency in my congressional district. Ms. Salem's passion is shown in her desire to make seniors' lives better. Her selfless dedication to the community is evident through efforts coordinating and providing health, educational, recreational, and intergenerational services.

Ms. Salem's positive impact on the community will be felt for many years to come.

I join with the residents of Mason County and West Virginia in commending Ms. Salem for her outstanding ability to give to others for the past 28 years. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring Ms. Salem's retirement.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 897 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.

The Rules Committee granted a fair rule for consideration of H.R. 4761 providing for 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled between the Chair and the ranking member of the Committee on Resources.

The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill and provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Resources now printed in the bill shall be considered as an original bill for the purpose of amendment and shall be considered read.

The rule waives all points of order against the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Resources.

The rule makes in order only those amendments printed in the Rules Committee report accompanying the resolution and provides that the amendments printed in the report may be offered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report, equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole.

The rule waives all points of order against the amendments printed in the report and provides one motion to recommit, with or without instructions.

The rule provides that House Resolutions 162, 163, 181, 182, 393, 395, 400, 401, 468 and 620 are laid upon the table.

Mr. Speaker, this Nation faces an energy crisis that is impacting our constituents across the country. In my district of West Virginia, many lower and middle income citizens, especially our seniors on fixed incomes, are being impacted by the soaring prices at the pump and rising home heating costs. Not only does this blow a hole in the budgets of many families, it also has an impact on the Federal budget; and correctly, in my view, we sought to increase the funds for LIHEAP to help those in the lower and middle income range.

The crisis also impacts jobs. Energy prices make adding jobs more challenging for small business owners as their transportation and energy costs skyrocket. The impact has been felt by larger, community sustaining industries.

The Kanawha Valley in my district has long been one of the largest centers of the Nation's chemical industry. These chemical plants use natural gas as both an energy source and as a feedstock. The cost of energy is one factor that has led to job losses in this important industry and has decimated the large chemical industry in the Kanawha Valley. These jobs have gone overseas.

The American Chemistry Council estimates that since the price of natural gas began to spike the chemical industry has lost more than $60 billion to foreign competitors because investors are wary of expensive natural gas in the United States. This has cost over 100,000 jobs nationwide in the chemical industry, about 10 percent of that total industry workforce.

Last month, hundreds of employees from West Virginia chemical plants wrote me asking that Congress pass legislation to allow drilling in the

outer Continental Shelf as a means of preserving their jobs. Mr. Speaker, we must reduce our reliance on foreign oil and make commonsense use of our domestic energy resources in order to protect these West Virginians and others like them across the country.

H.R. 4761 takes a commonsense approach in making use of our country's energy resources along the outer Continental Shelf to help meet our vast energy needs. The legislation passed the Resources Committee by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 29-9, and I am proud to be one of the 112 cosponsors of this bill.

This legislation will impact the price consumers pay at the pump. I know every Member of Congress, and all of us, are feeling the pain when we go to the pump. Natural gas prices are set on a local, not a global, market. The United States pays the highest natural gas prices in the world, and it is no surprise that countries that make use of their own natural gas reserves pay the lowest prices. We can make a real difference for consumers by passing this bill.

Many of my colleagues will talk about addressing alternative fuels as a means to solving our energy crisis, and I certainly agree this must be part of the solution. The Department of Ag estimates that 20 percent of the corn grown in the United States this year will be used for ethanol production, but growing corn demands fertilizer, produced by the chemical industry, that uses natural gas as their feedstock and energy source. Passing this legislation today will make sure that ethanol producers have access to the fertilizer they need to increase our supply of this important alternative fuel.

Contrary to what some will say on the floor today, this legislation will not harm the environment. The Minerals Management Service reports that, since 1980, 4.7 billion barrels of oil have been produced offshore with a spill rate of one-thousandth of 1 percent. According to the National Academy of Science, these spills account for only 2 percent of petroleum put into North American waters, while 62 percent comes from natural seepage.

The legislation takes into account the legitimate interests of coastal States, and we are going to hear a lot of debate on this point as well. Any State will be able to stop production from occurring within 100 miles of its shores should it choose to do so. This will keep drilling further offshore than other countries. By comparison, Ireland blocks drilling within 45 miles; the United Kingdom and Norway, 40 miles; the Netherlands, 20 miles; Scotland, 10 miles. Our neighbor to the north has permitted drilling in the coastal waters for years.

If State officials decide to allow production, they will share the royalties. This revenue-sharing provision is appropriate, given the devastation many States suffered from hurricanes last year. Allowing them to share in the royalties from outer Continental Shelf drilling will benefit this devastated region, while at the same time helping to lower energy costs to consumers across the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, our Nation's policy on drilling in the outer Continental Shelf is outdated, and many of those in the press have written editorials stating that. We saw last year the result of a policy that put all of our eggs in one basket, in the western portion of the Gulf of Mexico, when hurricanes knocked out one-quarter of the total domestic oil and natural gas production.

This will be an important debate today. We can support this legislation because it is important to protect the jobs, help families with heating bills, all the while protecting the environment and preserving States rights, or we can allow vast energy supplies to go untapped while we complain and seek and find no solutions about the cost and the supply of energy.

My colleagues should join me here in taking action by passing this rule and the underlying legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the gentleman that States will have the opportunity in this bill to opt out if they do not wish to have the drilling occur along their coastlines.

Also, I would like to remind the gentleman that I represent West Virginia. We value our mountains, but we dig coal from our mountains every single day so that people around this country can turn on their lights and use their air-conditioning.

We are talking about a Nation here in need of energy resources. And I am not sure if he has ever seen a natural gas well, but it is not like an oil derrick in the middle of a town. It can be done in a very disruptive and very clean way.

Mr. Speaker, I yield time now to my friend from Florida (Mr. Keller), 2 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Barrett).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Latham).

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to yield 2 minutes to the champion of this bill and a champion for rural America, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Peterson).

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to yield 3 minutes to the chairman of the Science Committee, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert).

(Mr. BOEHLERT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize and yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the previous speaker that the bill passed out of committee with large bipartisan support of a 29-9 vote.

I would like to yield 2 minutes to my friend and colleague from Kansas (Mr. Moran), a leader in rural health care.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crenshaw).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie), the sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to yield 2 minutes to my good friend, Mr. Tiahrt.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

We have certainly had a lively and spirited debate on this rule, and I am sure it will continue as we debate the legislation.

I would like to remind Members that for 6 years we did not have a comprehensive national energy policy, and the result has been higher prices for consumers and businesses. This underlying legislation is one component that will help ease the burden on consumers and manufacturers, and we all look forward to future debates on a myriad of energy solutions so we are better prepared for our future.

I see this as a jobs bill. I also see it as a helping hand to those seniors and those lower-income citizens who are having to pay the high cost of heating their homes and gasoline at the gas station.

This bipartisan legislation received the vast majority of votes in the Committee on Resources, and I encourage all Members to support an improved energy policy for the future.

I urge all Members of this fair rule and the underlying legislation.

The material previously referred to by Mr. Hastings of Florida is as follows:

Previous Question for H. Res. 897--Rule on H.R. 4761 The Deep Ocean

Energy Resources Act of 2006

At the end of the resolution add the following new section:

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize three outstanding National Spelling Bee participants from my district: Andy Wade, 14, from Putnam County, WV, James Cook, 13, from Martinsburg, WV and Jonathan Nicklin Allen, 13, from Romney, WV.

2006 marked the 78th annual Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee. This event was created by the Louisville Courier-Journal in 1925 with only nine contestants; today it has grown to 274. The National Spelling Bee is sponsored by Scripps Howard, Inc, and is held each year to help students broaden their vocabularies, improve their spelling, and develop correct English usage that will help them throughout their lives. This is the largest and longest running competition to promote education.

Sponsored by the Charleston Gazette, Andy Wade, an eighth grader at Winfield Middle School, advanced to the third round. He has now competed in five spelling bees. James Cook is also an eighth-grader and attends Charles Town Middle School. Sponsored by The Journal in Martinsburg, he advanced to the third round. Jonathan Nicklin Allen, an eighth grader at Romney Middle school, was sponsored by the Hampshire Review in Romney and advanced to the second round.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from California for yielding and start by thanking my colleagues in the West Virginia delegation for their efforts on this legislation. Our delegation has truly stood as one on behalf of the safety of our State's miners. We stood together in the Senate hall, all five of us together, and pledged to make a difference through legislation.

I would like to thank the leadership, and I would like to thank Chairman McKeon and Chairman Norwood for their quick action on bringing this matter to the floor. I would like to thank my fellow Members from other coal States who have suffered such tragedies.

I would like to make something clear. The MINER Act is not a controversial piece of legislation. It is slightly unfortunate that there has been some confusion around the issue that's important to the people of West Virginia and other mining States. As we have heard from the other Members, this is a great opportunity, a good chance, a good first step and one we must seize.

This bill has unique support across the mining community and across geographic and political lines. The UNWA, the National Mining Association, the AFL-CIO, and the West Virginia Coal Association and others support passage of this, and the Senate has unanimously passed this legislation.

As we have heard, the legislation would require every underground coal mine in the country to have its own emergency response such as tracking devices and flame resistant post-accident lifelines. The bill immediately requires a redundant means of communication with the surface, using the best system that is technologically feasible.

This legislation takes a major step in making sure miners have a reliable supply of oxygen underground. The bill makes sure that miners have a 2-hour supply of oxygen throughout the mines, spaced at distances the average miner can walk in 30 minutes.

A crucial provision also requires a maintenance and replacement schedule for the emergency breathing devices. Statements from survivors of recent mine accidents have questioned whether emergency breathing equipment was functioning properly, and this bill helps address that.

To make sure that precious time is not lost in assembling mine rescue teams, this bill makes sure that every mine has at least two mine rescue teams that can reach the site within an hour.

For those who violate safety regulations, this legislation increases the maximum civil and criminal penalties and allows MSHA to issue an injunction in order to close mines that fail to pay fines.

No one has said that the MINER Act is the final step in making miners safer. In fact, this is only the beginning of a renewed dialogue to make sure that we are doing everything we can to make sure our miners are safe.

I would like to remind my colleagues we have a choice, support the most significant revision to mine safety laws since 1977 or oppose the bill and cast a vote that will take us nowhere.

Mr. Speaker, the Sago mine is in my district. I waited with the families and the Upshur County community on that cold day in January as rescuers worked to save the Sago miners. I saw firsthand the pain suffered by the families when only one survivor was found. I looked into the eyes of the wives, of the sisters, the brothers, the mothers, the fathers as they learned that their loved ones were never coming back.

The Sago men and women are my constituents and my friends. They are the backbone of the great State of West Virginia and our Nation. For all of us, we cannot let this opportunity pass.

I ask that my colleagues join me to help these real men and women who have hopes and dreams, have a great faith in us, that we will help them to make sure that we pull together so that no one will suffer the tragedy and the heartache that they suffered that day in Sago and other days across this country.

I ask my colleagues to join me, to join me in making the right choice to improve mine safety by voting for the MINER Act.

Mr. Speaker, owning a home is an important part of the American dream. It is more than a roof over our heads; home ownership builds economic stability and, over the long term, creates equity to finance education, business startups and retirement. People with equity in their homes not only take greater pride in them, they also become more involved in their communities.

Richard C. Merryman recently joined the nearly seventy percent of Americans who enjoy the satisfaction of owning their own home. Richard is a handicapped individual who obtained a 502 Direct loan along with a West Virginia Housing Development Fund (WVHDF) leveraged loan to build a new handicap accessible home. It was the first leveraged loan in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.

The nationally known partnership between the WVHDF and West Virginia Rural Development (WVRD) has provided critical gap financing for many homeowners who otherwise could not qualify for a homeownership loan. WVHDF specializes in providing affordable mortgage financing for residents of West Virginia, as well as financing for developers to rehabilitate or construct affordable apartments and subdivisions. The Rural Housing Programs of West Virginia work to improve the quality of life for rural Americans by ensuring that they have access to safe, well-built, affordable homes.

Richard exemplifies the spirit and determination of those who have risen above significant adversity in order to achieve the dream of homeownership. He was previously on Social Security disability but is now employed as a greeter at the Wal-Mart in Martinsburg, WV. Richard moved into his new home in April 2006.

I applaud Richard and the men and women who work to achieve the dream of homeownership and who have built better lives and greater opportunity for all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, the week of May 14 thru 20, 2006 is designated by the Department of Health and Human Services as

National Women's Health Week, an effort to raise awareness about women can take to improve their health.

One disease that disproportionately affects women is osteoporosis. Often called a ``silent disease'' because bone loss occurs without symptoms, bones become fragile and are more likely to break with age.

Osteoporosis is a major public health threat for millions of Americans. Ten million individuals are estimated to already have the disease and almost 34 million are at risk of developing osteoporosis. Eighty percent of those affected by osteoporosis are women.

One program that is helping to spread awareness about osteoporosis is Strong Women Stand Tall--a new program to motivate women to join together and take action to protect their bone health. Friday, March 12, 2006 was declared as ``Fuchsia Friday'' to show solidarity among women and to raise awareness of bone health.

When women take even the simplest steps to improve their health, the results can be significant. It is important to action to find out your risk for developing osteoporosis. We need to stay informed and take responsible actions to improve our health.

Reducing our risk for this disease is a lifelong process--it is never too early or too late to protect bone health. Women must recognize their risk for osteoporosis, educate themselves about how to stay strong and healthy, and empower other women to take charge of their bone health. I encourage all women to see their physician and have an osteoporosis screening.

Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia. While Toyota is considered leader in the ``new American auto industry,'' this anniversary clearly demonstrates that Toyota is well established in the United States. With a 10-year history and West Virginia investment rapidly approaching the $1 billion mark, Toyota has been contributing to the U.S. and local economies for a long time--hopefully with more to come.

The Buffalo plant, which produces four-cylinder engines for Corolla, Matrix, and Pontiac Vibe; V6 engines for the Sienna and Lexus RX 330; and automatic transmissions for North American-built Camry, Solara, Lexus RX 330 and Sienna, currently provides quality jobs for over 1,000 team members. Employment is projected to grow to 1,150 when the current transmission plant is expanded.

As a testament to the Mountain State's workforce, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia has been named four times the ``Most Productive Engine Plant in North America'' and has earned a global reputation for producing high quality engines and transmissions.

Importantly, the jobs Toyota has created in the Second Congressional District have not come at the expense of our environment. The

West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection presented this facility with its environmental award in 2004 due to the facility's focus on the environment through the products it produces and its environmentally-sound business practices.

Throughout the last decade, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, West Virginia has understood that people are the most valuable resources available, and it continues to develop their talents and strengths for future success in the auto industry.

Mr. Speaker, again I want to congratulate Toyota for this important milestone. We are proud to have them as West Virginia corporate citizens, and I look forward to celebrating similar anniversaries in the many years ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sandy King as the recipient of the 2006 Weston Democrat Citizen of the Year Award. Sandy is receiving this award in recognition for her life long commitment and commendable service to Lewis County by enhancing the dignity and worth of all of its citizens.

Sandy has always been known as ready and willing to help neighbors and friends in need. She has long been involved with the community through Our Neighbor, CEOS activities, and the Irish Spring Festival. Sandy is currently the president of the Shamrock CEOS Club and attends the Ireland United Methodist Church. She also works as a liaison between

the Salvation Army, local churches, and the public.

I commend Sandy for being an outstanding citizen and a dedicated asset to her county and her state. The citizens of Lewis County will forever be indebted to Sandy for her tireless dedication.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Sandy King for her life long commitment to the community of Lewis County. She works tirelessly to give so much that she is truly the Citizen of the Year.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my friend and colleague on the Rules Committee, Mr. Cole from Oklahoma, for granting me the time to speak.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying legislation. This is a fair rule providing for general debate and consideration of the amendments made in order.

The underlying legislation is one of the most important measures we consider each year. I congratulate the chairman and the ranking member of that committee for their good, hard work. The National Defense Authorization Act is a statement of our support for the troops, the various missions our military are carrying out, and support for the men and women serving in the military once they return from their service.

I have traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan on several occasions and have incredible memories from the discussions I have had with the young men and women serving in our Armed Forces. They are patriotic, capable and determined to complete the mission of spreading democracy throughout the Middle East. We are very proud of them and we must continue to provide them with the necessary equipment to continue this mission.

I am very proud of those West Virginians who serve in the Guard and Reserves who have repeatedly, over time, shown their commitment to our country.

First and foremost, we need to ensure that our troops are properly protected. I am especially pleased that this year's authorization includes additional funding for force protection needs in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, including state-of-the-art body armor for our troops and increased armor and better technology to protect our Humvees from the IEDs.

This legislation also provides for a 2.7 percent pay increase for members of the Armed Forces. While no monetary amount will ever cover the debt of gratitude owed them, this pay raise will help the members of our Armed Forces and their families with their everyday needs.

And finally, and very important to my constituency as well, this authorization blocks the Department of Defense proposed fee increases retirees must pay under the TRICARE standard health program and zeroes out copays for generic and formulary mail order prescriptions.

Mr. Speaker, we must continue to honor the commitment made to provide quality affordable health care to our young men and women serving in the military.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this rule and the underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the tremendous impact that the cost of gasoline is having on my West Virginia constituents and on working families across the country. Rural communities that make up a large portion of my congressional district are especially hard hit by rising fuel costs because of the distance many people must travel to work and school and the limited public transportation options.

In addition to high prices, gas stations in some areas have run out of fuel all together. It is vital that we take every possible step to ensure that the gasoline market is priced fairly and it is important that we take steps to increase the supply of gasoline available to the market.

This week in my district I highlighted a 5-point plan to reduce the price of fuel. These steps include:

1. Take tough action against price gougers.

2. Waive boutique fuel requirements so that supply can be easily transferred between regions of the country.

3. Temporarily waive the 2.5 percent and 54 cent per gallon tax on ethanol so that imported ethanol can help make up the difference with the recent phase-out of MTBE in our gasoline supply.

4. Make use of coal--West Virginia's natural resource--as part of our fuel supply. Coal liquefaction technology has been available for many years and our government has invested in research that would allow for fuel to be produced now. Our nation has a 250-year supply of coal that already provides over half of our nation's electricity. Coal is an answer to the gasoline problem as well.

5. Allow for responsible drilling in ANWR and the Outer Continental Shelf to increase our domestic supply of crude oil.

I am pleased that the House took action today on two elements of this important plan. I strongly support H.R. 5253, passed by the House today that will punish price gougers with tough fines or jail time. Provisions of the bill will allow for enforcement by either the Federal Trade Commission or state Attorney Generals to provide the maximum possible protection for consumers. We must investigate and punish instances of gouging wherever they occur on the energy supply chain.

I am extremely disappointed that the House did not take action today on H.R. 5254 to improve the permitting and approval process for new refineries. Our nation has not built a new refinery since 1976 and it is clear that the regulatory process is a major reason why. This improved permitting process would also have applied to coal liquefaction facilities--another step that should be taken to increase our fuel supply. Once again opponents of increased fuel supplies and lower prices blocked action on common sense energy solutions.

Passage of price gouging legislation is a positive first step. I urge my colleagues to support further legislation to increase supply by allowing new domestic exploration and waiving tariffs and boutique fuels.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the chairman of the Rules Committee, Mr. Dreier, for his hard work and leadership in drafting the Lobbying Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006. It has been a tough job, and it has been a pleasure to work with him on this important reform legislation in the Rules Committee.

Mr. Chairman, we are all well aware of the recent scandals that have plagued the House of Representatives. The unscrupulous action of a few Members and staff has severely damaged this hallowed body that we are privileged to serve in. What is even more disturbing is that some see this as an opportunity for political gain. The recent scandals transcend political affiliation and ideology, and it is incumbent upon all Representatives to come together and restore the integrity of the House. This is not the time for catchy phrases and rhetoric. Rather, it is the time for each of us to step up and adhere to the duties as a Member of Congress.

I am especially pleased that this legislation includes language that I sponsored in the Rules Committee to strengthen and improve ethics training for staff and Members of Congress. This section would require all staff to attend an ethics training course or face severe penalty. It also requires that the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct will set up a similar program for Members and strongly encourages them to participate. I certainly plan to.

I realize that this may seem harsh to some, but my staff, who I require to have ethics training, now have benefited greatly from these training sessions, and I firmly believe that all staff should share in this experience. This measure ensures that all staff will receive this training.

This legislation also instructs the Standards Committee to report to the Rules Committee by no later than December 15 on the adequacy of the rules. The legislation is good progress. Thank you for granting me the time, and thank you for your leadership on this issue.

Mr. Speaker I rise today in honor of Mr. William ``Bill'' Carney Alfred who died at his residence following health complications on Monday, April 3, 2006.

Many were touched by Bill's dedication, concern for others, and enthusiasm for life. Bill was a proud member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church and the Loyal Order of Moose #1976 in Weston, West Virginia. For many years, Bill worked at the Kroger Company in Weston before retiring as head of the produce department. Bill truly made a difference in many lives and will be fondly remembered by the many people he touched with his kindness. We are fortunate to have had him as our friend.

I want to extend my thoughts and prayers to the Alfred, Rafferty, and Carney families during this difficult time. He is survived by one brother, John Kilker Carney of Springfield, VA, and by many loving cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. We are never prepared for the loss of a loved one, but God is always prepared to help us through that loss. I pray your own faith and fondest memories will give you strength and comfort during such a trying time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognition of the life of Mr. William Carney Alfred.

Mr. Speaker, Tuesday was the 43th anniversary of the Dola, WV mine disaster that took the lives of 22 miners. On Thursday, April 25, 1963, Adam Aldridge, Gunther Bardorrek, William Bullough, Kenneth Burnside, Ralph Cado, Delbert Chapman, Carsie Crayton, Dorsey Fincham, William Fowler, George Grogg, Roy Hanna, Glen Haught, Harold Haught, Denzil Hawkinberry, Roy Kerns, James Lester, William Maxwell, Ralph McCloy, John Reed, Ralph Smith, Raymond Swiger, and Robert Welch lost their lives in a methane gas explosion at Clinchfield Coal Company's Compass No. 2 Mine.

Today, flags and flower arrangements line headstones of the fallen miners in family

cemeteries up and down Ten Mile Creek. A memorial is currently being organized by the families of the miners to recognize and honor them. The memorial will be dedicated later this summer to ensure they are never forgotten.

Those family members gathered know first hand the pain of losing a loved one--the same pain suffered by families across West Virginia this year. Our state will stand with these families, share in their suffering, and continue to push for improved safety in our mines.

Mr. Speaker, the Committee on Rules may meet the week of April 3 to grant a rule which could limit the amendment process for floor consideration of the concurrent resolution on the budget for the fiscal year 2007. The Committee on the Budget ordered the concurrent resolution reported late last night.

Any Member wishing to offer an amendment should submit 55 copies of the amendment and one copy of a brief explanation of the amendment to the Rules Committee in Room H-312 of the Capitol by 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4, 2006. Members are advised that the text of the concurrent resolution should be made available on the Budget and the Rules Committees Web sites no later than March 31, Friday. As in past years, the Rules Committee intends to give priority to amendments offered as complete substitutes.

Members should use the Office of Legislative Counsel to ensure that their amendments are drafted in the most appropriate format and should check with the Office of the Parliamentarian to be certain their amendments comply with the rules of the House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome Randal McCloy back to his home in Simpson, West Virginia. Randal was one of the 13 miners trapped in the Sago mine on January 2 and was the lone survivor. He suffered severe injuries to his heart, lungs, and kidneys and was in a coma for several weeks due to a lack of oxygen during the 40 hours he was trapped below the surface.

With all of the sadness West Virginians have experienced in the coal fields this year, today we can rejoice that Randal has recovered enough to leave the rehabilitative hospital and return home to his family and friends.

West Virginians have come together over the past 3 months to offer prayers and support for the families of those who have lost loved ones. The families of the Sago miners have made our State proud, advocating for increased mine safety tools to help ensure other families do not experience the tragedy they have endured.

But today is the McCloys' day. We continue to support Randal McCloy; his wife, Anna; and their children as their family's road to recovery continues, and we will always remember the sacrifice made by his 12 co- workers.