Shelley Capito

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. I would like to claim the time in opposition, although I am unopposed to the amendment.

Mrs. CAPITO. As the gentlewoman from Illinois stated, this gives HUD the authority to increase FHA down payments and would require an annual report. I'd like to ask the gentlelady, if I could, a question about her amendment, if she would be willing to help me out with some clarification. You mentioned in your statement that HUD had already raised the down payment requirements with those of credit scores of 580 and below up to 10 percent. So my question is, it seems apparent to me that HUD already has the authority that you are granting in this amendment. HUD can already now go in and raise down payments. I would like to know what the distinction is or what the difference of the authority is that you're granting in your amendment from the authority that HUD already has. I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois.

Mrs. CAPITO. I rise to claim the time in opposition, although I'm not opposed to the gentleman's amendment.

Mrs. CAPITO. But still, the authority they have to raise down payment requirements is already existing in current law.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I am not opposed to the amendment.

Mrs. CAPITO. I would like to thank the chairwoman of the Housing Subcommittee for her good work on this bill and for this manager's amendment. We have worked together on this amendment, as we have with the rest of the bill. As she summarized in her statement, this provides provisions that drops out a few provisions that were problematic, but it also increases the requirements for identification, for a valid Social Security number and to be a U.S. citizen to be able to have access to FHA programs. I think it goes to the core of a lot of discussion that we've had on this floor, and certainly we want to make certain that those who are eligible for programs are able to access them and those that are ineligible are unable to access them. So as I said, we've worked together on this amendment, and I plan to support the manager's amendment. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim the time in opposition, although I am not opposed to the amendment.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to thank the chairwoman, Chairwoman Waters, and the chairman of the full committee, Chairman Frank, and Ranking Member Bachus for their good, hard work on this legislation. As I am an original cosponsor of this legislation, I rise in full support of H.R. 5072, the FHA Reform Act of 2010. H.R. 5072 amends the National Housing Act to include enforcement and premium changes to the FHA single-family mortgage insurance program that will improve the insurance fund's financial condition and enhance certain enforcement tools to protect against fraudulent or poorly underwritten and insured loans. The bill incorporates a majority of the provisions in a bill that I introduced, H.R. 4811, the FHA Safety and Soundness and Taxpayer Protection Act. H.R. 4811, my bill, went further than the proposals put forth by the administration. My legislation included some additional enforcement, fiscal and risk-assessment tools necessary to adequately administer the program, detect fraud and abuse, strengthen underwriting standards, and protect the taxpayer. I appreciate Chairman Frank and Chairwoman Waters' willingness to include the additional provisions that were part of my bill which I believe made H.R. 5072 a stronger bill and one that is more able to address the pressing challenges before the FHA today. I would also like to thank Secretary Donovan of HUD and Commissioner Stevens of the FHA for testifying before our committee, and also for working with me and my staff and the majority staff to formulate what I think is a very good bill. The FHA was established by the National Housing Act of 1934 to broaden homeownership, protect lending institutions, and stimulate the building industry. I did not realize this, but prior to the creation of FHA, home mortgages did not exceed 50 percent of the home value and did not extend past the fifth year. At the end of 5 years, mortgages had to be either paid or renegotiated. But during the Great Depression, lenders were unable or unwilling to renegotiate many of the loans that came due. Consequently, many borrowers lost their homes and lenders lost money because property values declined significantly. The FHA program was established originally to provide stability and liquidity in the market. Its creation fostered the 30-year mortgage product and led to standardized mortgage instruments. Once again, today, FHA has played an important role in a difficult housing market. As private sector lenders have scaled back their activities during the past 2 years, the FHA has significantly increased its share of the single-family mortgage market from less than 5 percent to more than 30 percent, but increased delinquencies and foreclosures across the Nation have had a detrimental effect on the financial health of the FHA program. An independent actuarial report which was published on November 12, 2009 showed that the capital reserve ratio for the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund, the MMIF, dropped below the congressionally mandated threshold of 2 percent to a less-than-expected .53 percent, a serious red flag. The actuarial review also indicated that the economic value of the FHA declined over 75 percent from last year to $2.73 billion. In light of these facts, it is essential that Congress and the FHA enact reforms to ensure that a bailout of FHA is not and will not be necessary. Madam Chair, the provisions of this bill are an important step in providing HUD with the tools it needs to supervise and monitor the FHA program and adequately assess risk. As the chairwoman has said, of the many important provisions included, H.R. 5072 authorizes FHA to increase annual insurance premiums and requires indemnification by lenders for loss on loans they originate. The program is intended to be self-funded. Proceeds from the premiums paid by the homeowners for the FHA guarantee are used to operate the program and pay losses when loans default. The ability to increase annual premiums will allow HUD the ability to raise annual premiums above the .55 percent cap, which will allow FHA to more adequately price for risk and to build up its reserve ratio which, as we know, has fallen below its congressionally mandated level. The indemnification provisions in H.R. 5072 will give HUD the ability to seek restitution against unscrupulous lenders who make loans they never should have made. H.R. 5072 is an important and necessary bill; it gives HUD the tools it needs to raise the annual premiums so that HUD can begin the process of putting the FHA program back on the road to a program that has an adequate reserve ratio and enough capital for the program to run in a safe and sound manner. However, let me be clear: H.R. 5072 is not a panacea. The Department and this Congress and future Congresses must be ever vigilant in our oversight of this program to make certain that the program is operated in a way that assures the taxpayer is protected. Recent reports indicate that FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are responsible for 100 percent of today's new mortgage originations, which means that the exposure for the taxpayer continues to grow day by day. That is why it was and still is imperative that reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac be part of any attempt to fix our financial and regulatory system. Fannie and Freddie were a big part of what caused the financial collapse, and they must be part of the solution. There are numerous issues currently being debated as part of the regulatory reform package such as risk retention, qualified mortgages, derivatives, hedge funds--and the list goes on--that could have significant implications for the future of the mortgage market as well as the direction of reform for Fannie and Freddie. H.R. 5072, the bill we are considering today, is extremely important because it provides the administration with the ability to increase the premiums which will improve FHA's current financial situation and prevent the need for any taxpayer bailouts. I urge my colleagues to fully support H.R. 5072. Madam Chair, I yield 3 minutes to a distinguished member of the Financial Services Committee and the Housing Subcommittee, my friend, Mr. Lee, from New York.

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Chair, I would just reiterate that this bill has my support. It passed out of the committee by voice vote. I think we did a good job meeting each other halfway on certain issues that we might have had some disagreement on, and I look forward to the passage of this bill. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Mr. Sessions from Texas and I would like to thank Mr. Frank, the chairman of our committee, for the work that we've done on the underlying bill, the FHA reform bill. It is an important bill, and we will be debating that and talking about that quite a bit for the next 2 days. What I've heard over the last week when I was home for the district work period is that people are really concerned about the spending and overspending that's going on here in Washington. Folks in West Virginia are tightening their belts and making difficult decisions, but they don't see that happening here in Washington. Right today, we have before us in the previous question vote, we're going to have an opportunity to make a cut in government that makes a lot of sense. Over 315,000 Americans have voted to perform this cut on government spending by voting to reform Fannie and Freddie. We estimate that we could save approximately $30 billion over 10 years--that's significant--by ending some of the government conservatorship, shrinking their portfolios of Fannie and Freddie, establishing minimum capital standards, and bringing transparency to taxpayer exposure. Since going into conservatorship--and many folks have been quoting this figure--the U.S. taxpayer has supported the GSEs to the tune of over $145 billion. As we heard from Mr. Garrett from New Jersey, that is limitless, how far that can go. One of the things I don't think taxpayers realize when they made this vote on YouCut was that recently the Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Agency approved compensation packages for the chief executive officers of Fannie and Freddie of $6 million each, including $2 million incentive payments for each executive. These compensation levels are 30 times that of a Cabinet Secretary, and they were approved for entities that are owned basically by the taxpayers and entities that have borrowed large sums from the taxpayers. And I think by this YouCut vote what Americans are saying is, ``Enough is enough.'' We have heard a lot about the past and whose fault it is, quite frankly, over the last week. I didn't hear anybody wanting to cast blame; they want people to solve problems. That's what they have sent us here to Washington to do. We need to look forward to solve these problems. So, as we all know, both Republicans and Democrats, lots of times the American people are a lot farther ahead of us in their thinking and in their commonsense solutions. And one of these is this YouCut proposal before us today, which will give us an opportunity to put their voices before us and for us to give them a sign of approval that, yes, $30 billion from Fannie and Freddie to save government money, to also end the conservatorship of Fannie and Freddie. That's another thing I hear in town hall meetings across the district: People don't know who Fannie or Freddie are. They are costing each American taxpayer dollars every day to the tune of over $145 billion in total. So, with that, I would ask that we vote ``yes'' on this YouCut proposal. It makes good, common sense.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor The Old Brick Playhouse of Elkins, West Virginia for the tremendous service they provide to the youth of Randolph, Upshur, and surrounding counties through its Apprentice program. Founded in 1992 by Executive Director Missy Armentrout McCollam, the Old Brick's Apprentice program utilizes arts education to foster confidence, leadership and team building skills through a student-acted and produced play or musical. One needs only to look at the numbers to see the strength of this program. From an initial cast of a mere 20 high school students, the Apprentices today overflow the theater doors with an enrollment of more than 100 students, spanning grades 6-12. Instilling a commitment to continuing education and expanding one's horizons, the Apprentice program's legacy is unmistakable. Some of the more than 2,000 Apprentice alumni have gone on to attend some of our nation's most prestigious colleges and universities. Others have gone on to act professionally. Many have achieved distinguished careers in business, law, medicine, or teaching; and, nearly all have become model citizens worthy of emulation. Truly one of those small, local treasures to all in the community it enriches, I commend the Old Brick Playhouse of Elkins, West Virginia for its outstanding leadership and commitment over the past 18 years. Having been recently recognized at the highest state and national levels, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this wonderful organization.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, as we approach Memorial Day we still have no budget. And now it appears we will not even be offered a budget resolution for the first time since the adoption of the 1974 Congressional Budget Act. Across the country, people are hurting and being forced to cut back on their spending. An article in USA Today released today cited income from private wages fell to an all-time low during the first quarter of this year. While our private sector is losing jobs and cutting wages, the Federal Government, under the leadership of this Congress, has been irresponsibly seeking to spend trillions of dollars on a stimulus package full of pet projects, a job killing cap-and-trade proposal, and a budget-busting, if we had a budget, health proposal. While Americans across the country are making a budget and sticking to it, I think it's time that we in Congress sit down under their leadership, make a budget, and stick to it. Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve better.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. I thank the gentleman from California for yielding me time. I understand that there is no controversy really on this underlying resolution. I wish we could have done this, and I think we could have done it several days earlier to get started on this under unanimous consent. So I wish that was the direction that we had gone. But as we have said, on April 5, 2010, an explosion occurred at the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia, killing 29 miners. And our hearts and prayers still are with the families and with the communities who have suffered greatly. This disaster was the worst mine disaster in West Virginia and the third mining disaster over the last 4 years. In 2006 in my district, 13 coal miners were trapped for nearly 2 hours at the Sago mine, and one miner miraculously survived. I agree, my colleagues, that Congress has a very important oversight role to ensure that the laws are properly executed and to prevent future mining accidents. There must be a thorough investigation by Congress to determine whether the executive branch agencies charged with protecting miners are performing their job and whether changes need to be made to ensure that those agencies fulfill their obligations to the miners, their families, and the public. Also, the Congress needs to have a thorough investigation into the company practices and whether safety is the top priority and the one priority first considered whenever beginning or starting to pursue coal mining and while it's in operation. Congress, however, must be wary not to compromise the integrity of any future or pending investigations and potentially jeopardize the executive branch's ability to enforce and hold violators accountable. Keeping our miners safe requires all of us to work together to prevent mine disasters from happening in the first place. I support this rule, and I vow to take whatever measures are necessary to ensure the safety and health of all miners.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman and gentlewoman for bringing this bill forth. I stand today in support of H.R. 2136, the Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones College Fire Prevention Act. I had the pleasure of serving with Congresswoman Tubbs Jones. She was a wonderful effervescent Member of our House. She was a very strong advocate for campus fire prevention, and she is greatly missed. But we are thinking about her today. You know, every parent expects when they send their child off to college that they will be sending them to be protected and to be safe. For the most part, that is true, but unfortunately, that's not always the case. In 2007, a fire broke out in a 64-unit apartment building which was privately owned near Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. It housed a number of students from Marshall. Nine people were killed in that fire, including one student who attended Marshall University and two of his siblings who were visiting him there. I was astonished to learn that there was no sprinkler system in the building, and several of the apartments didn't have smoke detectors. Each year, unfortunately, college and university students on- and off-campus experience hundreds of fire emergencies. Overall, most college-related fires are due to a general lack of knowledge about fire safety and prevention and also the lack of updating fire prevention equipment into the buildings. A lot of the buildings are older and were not equipped with sprinklers and other fire detection methods. This bill goes a long way, I think, to try to help solve that problem. The great majority of student fire deaths occur in off-campus housing with insufficient exits and missing or inoperative smoke alarms or automatic fire sprinklers. These are deaths that can and should be prevented. H.R. 2136, would extend Stephanie Tubbs Jones' legacy by providing grants to institutions of higher education, fraternities and sororities to cover up to half the cost of installing fire sprinkler systems and other fire suppression or prevention technologies in student housing and in dormitories. With that, I would like to thank the sponsors of the bill, and I urge the passage of this legislation.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to thank the gentleman from New York, not only for his support of this bill but also for his eloquent statement in support, not just of the coin but of mothers in general. I want to thank him for yielding time to me. Madam Speaker, as he said, this Sunday, families across the Nation will gather to honor their mothers and grandmothers. By the way, I am a new grandmother. I had to put that in. They will show their gratitude for the contributions these women have made not only to their immediate families but also to their communities at large. The tradition of honoring our mothers on the second Sunday in May goes back almost a century. It is a very interesting and quite simple history. The tradition of Mother's Day began in the mountains of Appalachia, when a woman named Anna Jarvis sought a more formal way to honor her mother. Her mother's name was Anna Reeves Jarvis, who had passed away in 1905. Ms. Jarvis, a native of Webster County in the wilds of West Virginia, began working with the Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church of Grafton, West Virginia, to honor her mother and her mother's contributions to the community. In 1908, the church officially proclaimed the third anniversary of Anna Reeves Jarvis' passing to be Mother's Day, but Anna Jarvis was not to be deterred. She continued her efforts to honor mothers across the State of West Virginia. In 1910, she was successful in lobbying and in encouraging the Governor of West Virginia to issue the first Mother's Day proclamation, encouraging all West Virginians to attend church and to wear white carnations in honor of their mothers. Ms. Jarvis built upon her success at home and began a nationwide effort to have Federal recognition of Mother's Day. After 4 years of hard work and dedication, President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation in 1914 encouraging all Americans to fly the American flag at their homes on the second Sunday of May as a public expression of the love and reverence for mothers of our Nation. West Virginians, we are very proud of our heritage and of the role that our State played in the creation and founding of Mother's Day. Last year I introduced this underlying legislation, which calls for the minting of a commemorative coin in 2014 to honor the centennial of proclaiming and designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. This coin will be minted in 2014, and as the gentleman from New York expressed, the proceeds of the sales of the coin will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation and also to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. I wanted to pick foundations that I knew were dedicated to women's health so that the money will be used for research and development to help the mothers of the future cope with the tragic consequences of osteoporosis or cancer. As an aside, I would like to wish my mother, Shelley Riley Moore, a very happy and wonderful Mother's Day this Sunday. She has been a very special person in my life and in the life of my entire family. And while that's a personal aside, I know we all feel the same way about our mothers, and taking the time to tell them. I would encourage everyone to do that. I would like to thank the 291 Members of the House who have joined me in this effort allowing the bill to be considered today. I would encourage the passage of this bill, and again I would encourage the recognition of the place that the mothers of America and really across the world play in the lives of all of us here today. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Joe W. Hatfield, Executive Director of the West Virginia Housing Development Fund, who is very deservedly being inducted into the 2010 West Virginia Affordable Housing Hall of Fame. Joe has worked for the West Virginia Housing Development Fund since 1968, serving as its Executive Director since 1980. Joe has expanded the agency during that time to reach all 55 counties of the State with affordable housing programs, economic development initiatives and supportive housing services for West Virginians affected by flooding. Realizing that one size does not fit all in the world of mortgage finance, Joe has created numerous mortgage programs that serve residents of all incomes. Joe has made it a goal to work with banks and housing partners all over the State so that borrowers in rural, harder to serve areas also have access to affordable housing programs. Since its inception in 1970, the Housing Development Fund has sold more than $3 billion in tax-exempt bonds to finance more than 104,000 housing units. Under Joe's leadership, the Housing Development Fund has consistently been rated as one of the strongest in the Nation. As a testament to responsible lending, the West Virginia Housing Development Fund did not experience the great tide of foreclosures over the past two years as other loan servicers in this critical economic time. Joe is a member of the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council, West Virginia Jobs Investment Trust, past Chairman of the West Virginia Disaster Recovery Board, West Virginia Homeless Task Force, the West Virginia Affordable Housing Trust, The West Virginia Housing Policy Advisory Committee and is a past Board Member of the National Council of State Housing Finance Agencies, who honored him in 1996 with its Housing Leadership Award at its Annual convention. Based on his experience and success, Joe is considered an icon among his peers in the housing industry. Joe is a West Virginian through and through. He is a native of Newtown in Mingo County, West Virginia, and a graduate of Concord College in Athens, WV. Joe is married to Barbara and is the father of three children and eight grandchildren. It is easy to understand why Joe is being honored by the West Virginia Affordable Housing Hall of Fame. Congratulations, Joe on this honor which is long overdue. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to providing safe, decent, affordable housing to West Virginians.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. I would like to thank the gentleman from Utah for yielding me time, and I would like to thank the sponsor of the bill. As a cosponsor of this legislation, I rise today in support of H.R. 1722. I represent the eastern panhandle of West Virginia that continues to welcome new residents seeking the lower cost of living and family- oriented environment that West Virginia offers. Many of these new West Virginians work in the Washington, D.C., area for the Federal Government. Telework would further improve the quality of life for these commuters. Teleworking would allow these workers to perform their duties and responsibilities from home or at another worksite--we actually have a remote telework facility in Jefferson County--where they would be removed from their regular workplace. Telework would be good for families because it provides employees the flexibility they need to meet daily demands. It's an environmental bill because I believe it will reduce traffic congestion and air pollution as well as gasoline consumption. Additionally, employers benefit from the increased productivity. I think the private sector has studies out there showing that telework can be much more productive for the overall organization: improved morale, fewer sick leave days used, better worker retention, and reduced costs for office space. As telework is more widely adopted by the private sector, it is critical that the Federal Government continue to keep pace and serve as a model for telework. Several agencies within the Federal Government have already established efficient and effective telework policies, but H.R. 1722 requires each executive agency to establish a policy under which employees would be authorized to telework to the maximum extent possible without diminishing employee performance or agency operations. As both speakers have stated, many law enforcement, home security, and emergency preparedness agencies on all levels of government advocate formal agency telework policies because they can aid continuity of operations planning for crises--such as the February snowstorms that crippled the Washington, D.C., area--through organized dispersal of employees and computer/telecom technology. I know that telework may not work for every job, but there are jobs today that lend themselves to telework. Nearly 20 million Americans telework today, and at least 40 percent of American jobs are compatible with telework. I believe that instead of sitting in traffic for hours during the daily commute, time is better spent sitting down to dinner as a family, helping kids with their homework, or other important events that happen during the day which teleworking would allow many of our Federal employees to do on a regular basis. I urge passage of this legislation.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I would just, again, reiterate my support for this bill. I think it's timely. It's something that we want to do in an expeditious and responsible manner, and I believe that this bill addresses those concerns.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague, Mr. Kanjorski, for his good, solid work on this bill. We have worked well together on H.R. 5017, and I think we see the results of that work together here today on the floor. This legislation extends the USDA 502 loan guarantee program. This program is a very important homeownership tool for many rural Americans, many of whom live in my State of West Virginia, providing a loan guarantee on privately issued loans. The 502 program has a very low default rate. Over the last few years, demand for the program has increased, and consequently loan commitment authority for the 502 program will be exhausted. Without swift action, borrowers who rely on this program will run out of options for affordable home loans. Last week, I offered an amendment during the markup of H.R. 5017 in the Financial Services Committee that provides the 502 program with additional loan commitment authority and makes an important improvement to the program. In order to make the program self-sufficient, we are raising the guaranteed fee up to 4 percent, granting the Secretary the authority to choose the appropriate level. This ensures that the program will no longer be reliant on taxpayer funds to build capital reserves, a welcome part of the 502 program. Although I am committed to continuing to work with my colleagues on potential long-term modifications to the 502 program that serve the best interests of the homeowners and the taxpayers, I believe it is important that the language increasing the loan commitment authority to $30 billion be limited to the current fiscal year and not beyond that time period. We must be aware of the impact on the private market and ensure that private entities are able to regain appropriate market share. Mr. Speaker, with these changes, we strike a balance of extending the program through the rest of the year. I, and I'm sure many of my colleagues here, have heard from numerous Realtors, lenders and potential homebuyers about the situation that the 502 program has found itself in. Since its inception, the 502 program has helped hundreds of thousands of families with low to moderate incomes realize homeownership. Over the past several weeks, as I said, many constituents have contacted me stressing just how important this program is as they are on their path towards homeownership and wish to see its continued funding. Again, I would like to thank Mr. Kanjorski for working with me on this legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my deep concern over the rising tide of unemployment across America and particularly in my home State of West Virginia. In my State, the unemployment rate has risen now to over 10 percent with some counties reaching well over 12 percent. Beyond these staggering figures, we must take a moment to pause and ask ourselves, are the policies we're pushing through this Congress creating real job growth? Absolutely not. Sadly, we all know a family member, a friend, a colleague who has lost their job and is struggling to get back on their feet. The so- called stimulus bill, along with numerous so-called jobs bills, has failed to produce the jobs that the administration and the Democrats in this Congress promised. And worse yet, the policies of this administration are actually causing job loss in my State. Instead we should be enacting policies that get Americans back to work and awaken Main Street across our country. Mr. Speaker, at a time of increasing unemployment for American families, we must keep repeating, where are the jobs?

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman, Charles A. Helton, as he retires from the Navy. On November 28, 1983, at the age of 18, Charles enlisted in the Navy. He became among the first in the country to enlist in the Sea-Air Mariner (SAM) Program, which is geared towards high-school, vocational- tech, and college students and allows young men and women to join the Navy without serving extended periods of active duty. Based out of Great Lakes, IL, Charles reported for basic training and on February 24, 1984, graduated. He would report directly to Hospital Corpsman ``A'' school, where he was taught principles and techniques of patient care and first aid procedures. Upon graduating from ``A'' school on June 4, 1984, Charles returned to Naval Reserve Center Huntington (NRCHUNT) where he served along side his step father, Norris Troney, and long time friend throughout his Navy career, John Clay. It was October of 1998 when Charles was called to active duty for Operation Desert Shield/Storm. He would serve at Naval Hospital Portsmouth, VA, working at Manpower Management Personnel Office assisting members with Reserve issues during deployment until June 4, 1999. He returned to Naval Reserve Center Huntington where he would serve until it was decommissioned on February 12, 2006. Charles has spent the last four years at the Navy Operational Support Center in Eleanor, WV. Charles A. Helton, son of John R. Helton and Pamela Troney, plans on retiring to Hurricane, WV, with his wife, Carla S. Helton, and their two daughters, Kelly and Christy. He is currently employed with the Federal Highway Administration in Charleston, WV as an Information Technology Specialist. I would like to thank Charles for his dedication and service to our country from such an early age. Although a native of Chicago, IL, Charles has spent the majority of his career in West Virginia and has represented our state so well. I wish you the best of luck.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my fellow West Virginians and those of us in this Congress in support of today's resolution to extend our condolences to the families of the 29 miners who were killed in last week's mine disaster in Montcoal, West Virginia. I would like to thank my colleague, Congressman Rahall, for his steadfast support, his compassion, and his empathy for those in his district who have suffered an unimaginable loss. His strength and compassion was very evident to all of us who watched the activities as they unfolded in Raleigh County. I would also like to thank our Governor, Governor Manchin. He was a stalwart comforter in chief to many of us because, as my fellow colleagues from West Virginia has said, if one West Virginian suffers, we all suffer. I would also like to thank the outstanding efforts of the mine rescue teams and the many volunteers who provided their support and prayers. The accident that occurred at Performance Coal Company's Upper Big Branch mine has taken an immense toll on all West Virginians and left a community shattered, very sad, and very shaken. After 6 days of waiting for any news, rescue workers located the four missing miners and found no survivors. While we were all hoping for a miracle, unfortunately, we were left with the sad conclusion. Too many families have suffered the tragic loss of losing a loved one in a mine disaster. Last week's explosion was the worst mining disaster in an American mine in 40 years and the third major mining disaster in West Virginia in the last 4 years. An explosion at the Sago mine in my district on January 2, 2006, trapped 13 miners for nearly 2 days. By the grace of God, one miner survived. We cannot forget the grief and suffering of the families, friends, and coworkers of all the miners who have died. These are deaths that can and must be prevented. The rescue workers were valiant, working around the clock to find their fallen brothers and to help the families in their horrible time of grief. Following Sago, Congress rightly passed stricter mine safety regulations to enhance inspector programs, improve emergency response, and put in place protections to prevent future mine disasters. To ensure that all mines receive regular inspection, Congress has increased MSHA funding, because MSHA had been unable to meet these mandated responsibilities. However, new rules and regulations are useless if they are not enforced. The coal companies must be vigilant and must follow the rules in every case. No excuses. Keeping our miners safe requires a collaborative approach between the regulators and the mining industry. Both must expand their health and safety programs to prevent hazards from starting in the first place. Otherwise, reforms Congress clearly intended to address with the passage of the MINER Act will be rendered meaningless. Congress has a very important oversight role in scrutinizing issues that lead to this disaster. There must be, and I am sure there will be, a very thorough investigation into this tragedy to determine what further action must be taken to prevent this from ever happening again. I vow to take whatever measures are necessary to ensure the safety and health of our coal miners. I join today with my colleagues and really the entire Nation to extend our condolences to those families of the lost miners and to the communities surrounding. This is a devastating loss for all of us, and the warmth and prayers that have been sent to those of us living in West Virginia and particularly in the Montcoal area are welcomed and well received. I ask my colleagues to join me in passing this resolution.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my deepest sympathies to the 29 victims of the Upper Big Branch mine explosion, their families, loved ones, and their community. Last Monday's tragedy occurred in Montcoal, West Virginia, and it was the worst mine disaster in over 40 years. It has been gut-wrenching for our entire State. In the wake of this horrific tragedy, the citizens of West Virginia, including our outstanding emergency and rescue workers, and our Governor, pulled together to support the communities and families devastated by this explosion. As we grieve this loss of life, we must also honor the victims of the accident by taking the appropriate steps to ensure that this never happens again. Never again in West Virginia or in any other State can we let safety slip through the cracks. We will not let this happen again. Now is the time to band together and do everything we can to protect our citizens. I hope you will join me in praising our miners for the difficult and dangerous work that they do, and I ask that you keep all of the workers, their families, and their communities in your thoughts and prayers.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember one of West Virginia's finest citizens, volunteer firefighter Donald Adkins. Donald was a volunteer with the Glasgow Volunteer Fire Department, and our hearts go out to his fellow firefighters. On March 13, Donald was bravely providing rescue support to the flooded areas of Raleigh County, West Virginia, when his rescue boat capsized after striking submerged debris. After 6 days of searching by nearly 100 volunteers, Donald's body was found March 19, 2010. While our hearts remain heavy for the loss of a true selfless servant, we celebrate the gift of life Donald gave to others in our community as a volunteer firefighter. Mr. Speaker, Donald Adkins and countless rescue volunteers across West Virginia and the Nation put their lives on the line to protect us during times of emergency. I hope you'll join me in praising them for this difficult, dangerous work that they do for the safety of us all. I also ask that you keep Donald Adkins' parents; his two sons, Devin and Ethan; his daughter, Allyssa; and his girlfriend, Bobbie Evans, in your thoughts and prayers.