Tim Holden

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of myself and my colleague, Representative Charlie Dent, to honor the 250th anniversary of the Borough of Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, and to recognize the many contributions its residents have made to our great Commonwealth.

The Borough of Hummelstown was originally founded as Frederickstown by Frederick and Rosina Hummel, who in 1762 purchased a plot of land in beautiful Dauphin County to call home. The Hummels divided the tract into numerous building lots and sold each to German settlers looking to start new lives in the region. Originally serviced by the Berks-Dauphin Turnpike, commerce through the borough was greatly enhanced by the opening of the Union Canal in 1827, which connected the Susquehanna River to the Schuylkill River outside Philadelphia. The Lebanon Valley Railroad later made the community even more attractive to businesses when it arrived in 1858. Hummelstown was soon booming with jobs in stone cutting and shipyard work. With the borough growing and the nation expanding, the Hummelstown Brownstone Company (HBC) quickly became the leading employer of local residents from the late 19th Century to the early 20th Century. HBC owned and operated several quarries that produced Hummelstown brownstone, which at the time was one of the most popular building materials in the United States.

Today, Hummelstown is the very picture of the quaint American suburb. With a lively downtown area and genuine small town atmosphere, Hummelstown is home to many Pennsylvanians who commute to jobs in nearby Harrisburg and Hershey.

To celebrate the 250th anniversary of its founding, Hummelstown's various civic groups, businesses, churches, and other organizations have worked together to organize a busy week of events. These festivities included a parade, community breakfast and picnic, fireworks display, movie night, and family friendly events for children. Heritage Day, walking tours, and other activities showcased the rich history of Frederick Hummel's town and illustrated its bright future as an ideal location for families and businesses.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand alongside my friend, Representative Charlie Dent, to honor Hummelstown on the occasion of its 250th anniversary. I would also like to congratulate the borough's residents on a highly successful anniversary celebration.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great appreciation that I rise today to remember and honor the congressional career of my good friend, Jerry Costello. Jerry and I have served together for the last twenty years.

Not only do I consider Jerry a dear friend, but he is also a mentor. He was there to provide sound advice and tutelage when I joined the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the 105th Congress. He is widely seen as a leader in Congress on transportation issues. Jerry and I also worked closely together on matters concerning the people of Ireland. Jerry never forgot his ancestral roots in trying to better the lives for the Irish.

It wasn't only in matters before Congress that Jerry provided guidance, but also in life. I had the great fortune of sharing the same travel agent as Jerry which has enriched my life greatly.

Jerry, you will be greatly missed in this body and Congress will greatly miss you. I wish you all the best in your next endeavors and know you will bring your pragmatic approach to the task at hand.

Mr. Speaker and fellow colleagues, please join me in celebrating my dear friend, Jerry Costello.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the gentleman from West Virginia's motion to instruct conferees to resolve the coal ash provision in the highway bill.

There are more co-generation plants in my congressional district than any congressional district in the country. For more than 100 years, coal refuse piles created eyesores throughout northeastern Pennsylvania. These culm banks are now baseball fields and shopping centers.

Coal ash is not hazardous. EPA determined that fact in regulatory determinations in 1993 and in 2000. The fact that EPA continues to leave a hazardous waste designation for coal ash on the table--even though these three decades of science and facts point the other way--is directly contributing to the loss of current and future recycling.

This designation would harm companies in the still emerging coal combustion byproduct markets that make everyday products like concrete, shingles, and wall board. It will also hinder State departments of transportation that use CCB in job-creating highway and infrastructure projects and overwhelm State budgets and employee resources by more than doubling the volume of waste subject to hazardous waste controls, and translate into increased energy rates for millions of American consumers.

As a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I see no better way to create jobs than to pass the highway bill. During the last highway bill, Pennsylvania received over $10 billion, which created over 400,000 jobs. The coal ash provision in the highway bill only strengthens job creation. Simply put, highway spending strengthens the fabric of our Nation's infrastructure while creating jobs for millions of Americans.

I urge passage of the gentleman's motion to instruct.