Shelley Capito

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3584) to amend the Federal Home Loan Bank Act to authorize privately insured credit unions to become members of a Federal home loan bank, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3329) to enhance the ability of community financial institutions to foster economic growth and serve their communities, boost small businesses, increase individual savings, and for other purposes.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mary ``Josie'' Cuda for her three decades of service in community and housing development, from Bolivia to Elkins, West Virginia. Josie started her career serving others thirty years ago as a community organizer in Bolivia, followed by jobs as a flood relief worker and a position in human services. She spent seventeen years with the Randolph County Housing Authority and her final fourteen years as the agency's Executive Director. During Josie's time with the Randolph County Housing Authority, she developed a reputation as an innovative leader, using creativity and imagination to maximize her agency's footprint, serving moderate to low income hardworking West Virginians. She used funds from the West Virginia Housing Development Fund, the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and money from the Federal Home Loan Bank to develop over one hundred homes and thirty apartment units during her tenure as Executive Director of the Randolph County Housing Authority. In addition, independent non-profit partners Woodlands Development Group and the Home Ownership Center were both started during Josie's tenure, in order to make safe, decent, affordable housing more accessible. Since leaving the Randolph County Housing Authority, Josie's attention has remained focused on community and housing development. She has worked with CommunityWorks and the West Virginia Community Development Hub to bring Achieving Excellence in Community Development to West Virginia, a program which helps provide training to non-profit organizations working to improve their communities. So far, ten housing organizations and sixteen community groups have utilized this program in West Virginia. On May 1, 2014, Mary ``Josie'' Cuda will be inducted into the Affordable Housing Hall of Fame by Habitat for Humanity of West Virginia. Mrs. Cuda is truly deserving of such an honor, as countless West Virginians have her to thank for a better quality of life, better housing, and better communities. Josie is married to Frank Cuda, a family nurse practitioner. Together they have twin sons and three grandchildren, with a fourth on the way! Mr. Speaker, Randolph County, as well as the State of West Virginia, owe Mary ``Josie'' Cuda a debt of gratitude for her many years of devoted community service. I am proud to call her a friend and fellow West Virginian.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise here with my fellow Members from West Virginia to honor former U.S. Representative Mick Staton, who passed away on April 14, 2014. Mick was a lifelong West Virginian who devoted himself to a life of service to our great State, including representing the Third District of West Virginia. Mick's public service began with 8 years in the National Guard, and his passion for serving others and his dedication to Republican principles inspired him to make a run for Congress. A successful businessman, Congressman Staton also served as a Presidential elector for West Virginia. Then, just last month, he was named as one of only five emeritus members of the West Virginia Republican Party. More evident than Mick's tremendous dedication to West Virginia was his devotion to his family. He and his wife, Lynn, shared a true partnership in life, giving them faith and support to persevere through his difficult health challenges. As a friend of Mick's for 30 years, I will miss his bright smile, quick wit, and warm companionship. I offer my deep condolences to Lynn, their two children, and their extended family.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for bringing highlight to an issue that we all feel a certain sadness that has to be highlighted. I am sorry for his personal tragedy for his niece, and I wish her much healing and a bright future for her. I rise today to, too, speak, as he did, about April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. As we know, sexual assault can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, age, race, or religion, and it is always heartbreaking. Those are the ones that we actually hear about. Many go unreported. So we must say ``no more,'' no more to sexual assault and the culture of silence and shame. One in six women in this country have been sexually assaulted, most by someone they know. Hence, the area of deeply troubling behaviors in the realm of domestic violence. College women have an even higher rate of sexual victimization than most women in the United States. Our colleges and universities can and must play an important role in stopping sexual assault and joining this campaign in April by saying ``no more'' to sexual assault. This must be a priority in every college campus in America. As a mother of a daughter and now a grandmother of a daughter and also two sons who were lucky enough to go to college, I want to make sure that when they are on those college campuses they are safe and that they know how to get help and that they know how to recognize the signals that they might be getting into trouble. Many of those affected with sexual assault struggle with depression, drug and alcohol abuse, or even thoughts of suicide. We have to make sure that they know they are not to blame and that help is available. So many people care. Local organizations, like the local Charleston YWCA, which runs the Resolve Family Abuse Program, with which I was an active board member for many years, they stand ready to help. They have counseling programs, they have residential programs, they have programs for batterers, programs to try to alleviate the scourge of domestic violence. We in Congress have passed laws to provide Federal funding for programs and organizations to help women seeking help from domestic abuse, stalking, and sexual assault. I will continue to work to help the men and women affected by these heinous crimes and am proud to stand here today and say ``no more'' to sexual assault.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this commonsense proposal to change the Affordable Care Act definition of full-time employment back to 40 hours per week, where it belongs. The 40-hour workweek has been recognized for decades as the standard for full-time employment. Small business owners, union leaders, and individual workers have recognized that the ACA's definition of full- time employment risks damaging the traditional 40-hour workweek and the paychecks that those 40 hours bring. As we have heard with the Hoover Institution study, the 30-hour rule puts 2.6 million workers at risk of losing their jobs or losing their work hours, harming those who can least afford to take a pay cut. Those workers have a median income of $30,000. More than half of them have a high school diploma or less, and more than half of them are women. In practice, many of these workers will have to find two part- time jobs to equal what they were bringing home. Balancing two jobs means less time with your family, not to mention the tremendous stress that folks who will have to go in this direction will feel. Passing this bill will help create jobs. One-half of small businesses recently surveyed said they will either cut hours for full-time employees or replace them with part-time employees. We need to make it easier for businesses to hire full-time employees, not harder, but the ACA's mandate and the administration's repeated delays have only created more uncertainty for businesses and moms throughout this country. I urge my colleagues to join me in helping working families and working women and job-creating small businesses by voting for the Save American Workers Act.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, women have played a significant role in our Nation's history and in my home State of West Virginia. I would like to recognize a few who have had wonderful achievements in art, literature, sports, government, education, and volunteerism. Anna Johnson Gates was the first female elected to the State legislature from Kanawha County; Elizabeth Drewry, the first African American elected to the legislature from McDowell County, West Virginia; Elizabeth Kee, the first woman elected to Congress from Bluefield, West Virginia. One West Virginian has given us a national holiday--Anna Jarvis, the founder of Mother's Day, from Grafton, West Virginia. In the sciences, Dr. Harriet Jones broke down barriers to become the first licensed physician in West Virginia from Marshall County. We have two women who reached the very pinnacle of their field. Novelist Pearl Buck, from Hillsboro, West Virginia, won the Nobel Prize for literature. In athletics, no one could forget West Virginia's own Mary Lou Retton when she made history by achieving her perfect 10s in 1984. The stories of West Virginian women and all women must be told. That is why I support H.R. 863, the National Women's History Commission Act. It is my privilege to talk about so many wonderful West Virginia women.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 128 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' (By unanimous consent, Mr. MEEHAN was allowed to speak out of order.) Congressional Hockey Challenge

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the career and contributions of Mr. L. Tom Bulla, upon the occasion of his receipt of the Shepherd Center of Greenbrier Valley's Community Service Award. Mr. Bulla's work ethic and volunteer spirit are truly deserving of this award, as he has proudly served communities, both in his professional and private life. Tom began his career in 1962 and worked diligently to build a solid reputation as a credible leader in the North Carolina and Virginia banking communities. In 1981, he was hired as president, CEO, and director of Huntington Trust and Savings Bank in West Virginia. In 1985, Tom oversaw the successful merger of Huntington Trust with the First Huntington National Bank. Shortly thereafter, his services were requested at Charleston National Bank, where he would serve as president and CEO, and again direct the merger of two West Virginia banks; Charleston National with Bank One, in 1993. A year later, Tom accepted a position as president, CEO, and director of First National Bankshares Corporation and The First National Bank in Ronceverte, West Virginia. Tom was very active in the West Virginia Bankers' Association, serving both on its Board of Directors and as its Chairman from 1996 through 1997. Additionally, Tom was selected by his colleagues to serve on the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh's Board of Directors from 1997 until 2000. Tom's career shepherded him into public service with an appointment from Governor Joe Manchin as the state's first Secretary of Commerce, where he successfully managed the consolidation of seven government agencies. As impressive as Tom's achievements in banking and the public sector have been, his contributions to our communities are equally impactful. Tom dedicated his time and energy to numerous nonprofit agencies including the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences, Tamarack Foundation, United Way of West Virginia, Hospice, Charleston Area Medical Center, and the American Cancer Society. He served on the Lewisburg Building Commission, West Virginia Education Fund, YMCA Spirit of the Valley, and the West Virginia Economic Development Authority, along with a host of other valuable community and state organizations. And lastly, the Shepherd Center of the Greenbrier Valley, who is honoring him with its Community Service Award for Tom's fulfillment of its three tenets: lifelong learning, service to others, and spiritual growth. Tom Bulla resides in Lewisburg, West Virginia with his wife, Nancy. Known affectionately as ``Papa'' or ``Papa T'' by his grandchildren, Tom enjoys spending time with his extended family and his lifelong love: automobiles. Mr. Speaker, the State of West Virginia, our communities, and indeed, the United States of America owe Tom Bulla a debt of gratitude for his many years of distinguished service in his professional and personal life. I am honored to call him a friend and fellow West Virginian.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. I have an amendment at the desk, Mr. Chair.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Chair, I rise to say that my amendment is a simple clarifying amendment that goes right along the discussion we were just having with the previous amendment. It makes clear that the underlying bill does not stop the EPA from relying on foreign technologies to establish a performance standard, so long as that foreign technology has been adequately demonstrated at power plants here in the United States, and I think my colleague from Kentucky was making that point in his rebuttal. The Electricity Security and Affordability Act is necessary because the EPA has taken the unprecedented step of requiring the use of technology that has not been demonstrated on a large commercial scale here in the United States. The rule is, therefore, a de facto ban on new coal plants anywhere in the United States. Well, why is this significant? As our existing coal fleet retires, either due to regulations or because plants have reached the end of their useful life, what takes their place to provide affordable and reliable electricity to families and businesses? In January, when temperatures dropped across the Eastern part of the United States, American Electric Power, AEP, which provides power in my region of the country, was operating 89 percent of the coal capacity that will retire in 2015. When that capacity is no longer available, our electric grid will be less reliable, and the energy prices paid by individuals and small businesses will increase. West Virginia has vast supplies of both natural gas and coal, so I fully support the development and use of all our domestic energy resources. We need a diverse energy policy that includes coal, natural gas, nuclear, and renewable to support our economic growth and keep the energy bills that families pay each month from skyrocketing. But we cannot turn away from coal, which provides 40 percent of our Nation's electricity and 95 percent of the electricity in my home State of West Virginia. Other countries understand that coal provides the energy necessary to power their own economies. The International Energy Agency released a report in December, stating that global coal consumption will continue to rise and increase by more than 2 percent through 2018. Between 2007 and 2012, global coal consumption increased faster than oil or natural gas. China and India are constructing new coal plants. Even Germany is increasing its coal capacity in 2013. The rest of the world is willing to use coal. We, in the United States, have a strong competitive advantage because we have hundreds of years of supply. Increasingly, we are exporting coal for use abroad. West Virginia exports more coal than any other State. While we are glad the coal exports allow for production that provides jobs--real jobs in our State, it is difficult to understand why we would turn away from using our own domestic resources at the same time other countries are turning towards our domestic resources. Importantly, unilateral action by the United States will do virtually nothing to address the global problem of carbon dioxide emissions. In 2012, carbon dioxide emissions from energy production in the United States fell by 3.8 percent to their lower level since the mid-90s. Despite this drop, carbon dioxide emissions from energy globally increased to their highest level on record. China's carbon dioxide emissions alone more than offset the decreased emissions from the United States. That is why I introduced legislation that would delay the implementation of the U.S. carbon dioxide regulations until other countries comprising 80 percent of non-U.S. emissions enact equally stringent regulations. Acting in concert with our global competitors would minimize the economic consequences and maximize the environmental benefits. Instead, the administration has chosen the opposite course, imposing a unilateral regulation that maximizes our economic pain and minimizes the environmental benefits. EPA's regulation means absolutely fewer West Virginia jobs and higher energy prices for consumers. Let's be clear about what today's legislation does. This legislation does not stop the EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from new coal plants. The bill simply requires EPA to base its regulations on the best performing existing coal plants. We should encourage the implementation of newer, cleaner burning coal technologies, but a de facto ban on new coal plants won't encourage new technologies. It will leave promising research on the shelf while energy prices increase and the economic advantage offered by our natural resources is lost. This is a good straightforward piece of legislation. My amendment makes it clear that we want the best commercially available technology to set the standards for new plants, regardless of where that technology is developed, as long as that technology is demonstrated in the United States coal plants. I urge the amendment's adoption and reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1\1/2\ minutes. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act. Last Congress, overwhelming majorities in the House and Senate, including all of my colleagues from West Virginia, voted for the passage of Biggert-Waters. There was near unanimous agreement that significant reforms were needed for the program, but when the new flood insurance rates were published last fall, I began to hear from, and met with, many West Virginians who were shocked by the increases in their flood insurance bills that had far exceeded the worst-case scenario in CBO's projection. In some cases, their only choice was to spend their life's savings on their flood insurance bills or walk away from their house, ruining their credit. The bill before us today will make sure the people who purchased a home after the passage of Biggert-Waters, only to see their premiums skyrocket, can stay in their homes. Under this bill, homeowners will see their premiums rise towards an actuarially sound rate, but on a path that is much more affordable. Additionally, we are taking steps to fix some of the mapping issues in the flood program. Many of my constituents have told me that they are in a Special Flood Hazard Area, despite no evidence of the area ever flooding. These two issues address the core problems of the flood insurance program: unaffordable rates and incorrect mapping. There is no question that the NFIP is broken. We need to take steps to put it on solid financial footing, but immediately hitting people with crushing increases in their premiums just because they bought a new home is not the way to do it, and that was never the original intent of Biggert-Waters. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Grimm), the author of this legislation and someone without whose hard work we wouldn't be here today.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hensarling), the chairman of the full committee.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer), the chairman of the Housing and Insurance Subcommittee on the Financial Services Committee.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the ranking member, Ms. Waters, for her hard work on this and Mr. Grimm, Dr. Cassidy, and all the speakers we have had today here on both sides. We can work together to fix a definite problem, but I think we need to kind of reflect back on how did we get to this problem. We were trying to fix a bigger problem, the $24 billion hole that the Flood Insurance Program has created because of mismanagement and not looking at it correctly. Over 400 of us voted for that bill. So we did not realize at the time the data that we were given by FEMA gave us a certain ceiling that certain folks' premiums could rise, and as we have heard today from everybody, Republicans and Democrats, no matter where you live in the country, some of the premium escalation has just been incredible. So I am proud that we are working together. I mentioned West Virginia. We flood a lot in West Virginia. We have got a lot of hills and hollows. Richard in St. Albans came to me in October of last year. He had just bought a home before they put the new FEMA rates into effect. He thought he was going to be paying a little over $1,000 in his flood insurance program on a $150,000 house. Guess what? $14,000 was the rate that he was going to have to pay. He said: I am just going to walk away. I will get foreclosed on. This is my dream home. So for Richard, that is why I think all of this is important today, and for all the other Richards out there across the country who have had sticker shock, who haven't been able to cope, who have been very upset about this and wondering, Is anybody really going to help me here? So what I think we have learned today is whatever the scenario is, whether you are in a mountain situation by a river or if you are in an urban area in New York or if you are in Florida, that these problems were deep, expensive, and discouraging, and people were unable to understand a way out. I think that is what we are giving them today. Many of the reforms that were built into the first Biggert-Waters bill still remain. We are refining those to make sure they make common sense. We are making sure that folks around the country can afford the homes that they have bought with the flood insurance and then get them on a glide path towards the sustainability of not just their home but also the program in general. So I am proud of the efforts that all of us working together have had here today. I would like to encourage the other body to pass this. It is not going to work unless we get the Presidential signature that we need to make sure that we get the real relief that people need and deserve. So with that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, but I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), a great advocate for this bill.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, can you tell me how much time is remaining on both sides?

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana, Dr. Cassidy, one of the champions of this bill.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous materials for the Record on H.R. 3370, as amended, currently under consideration.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. King), a member of the Financial Services Committee.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Buchanan) for his hard work.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3370) to delay the implementation of certain provisions of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that, in the engrossment of H.R. 3370, the Clerk be authorized to make the corrections now at the desk.