Shelley Capito

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Chairman, I rise to highlight the designation of West Virginia State University as an eligible school for the Historically Black Graduate Institutions (HBGI) program in H.R. 609, the College Access and Opportunity Act of 2006. The designation was included today in the McKeon Manager's Amendment. The HBGI program is an important tool in enhancing innovative math and science education programs at our Nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities. West Virginia State University was designated as a Title III University under the Higher Education Act of 1965 and has participated as an undergraduate Title III Part B institution since 1989. In 2003, West Virginia State began offering a unique Master's Degree in Biotechnology that emphasizes the skills a biologist will need in the 21st century. The program also studies new technologies and concepts in the biotechnology field. Graduates will be prepared for careers or further studies in Health Care, Biotechnology, or Environmental Sciences. It is important that our Nation provide the resources necessary to remain the world's leader in science and technology research. Our Nation's education system and especially our colleges and universities are on the front lines in keeping America competitive in the world economy. I want to recognize Dr. Hazo Carter, President of West Virginia State University and Dr. Orlando McMeans for their hard work in establishing the University as an eligible HBGI institution. I also want to thank Chairman McKeon and the Education and Workforce Committee for working with me to include this important designation in H.R. 609.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, today our colleagues in the Senate begin hearings on immigration legislation. I rise to urge our colleagues in the other Chamber to follow the House's lead by passing legislation that focuses first and foremost on securing our broken border enforcement system. Porous borders and the illegal immigration caused by them are a threat not only to our national security but to our national economic security. The Federal Government, more specifically Congress, has a duty to do everything we can to secure our borders. Enforcement first legislation passed by the House last year was the right approach. Once we have effectively secured our border, then and only then should we focus on the other consequences of illegal immigration. Mr. Speaker, we are a Nation of immigrants. Our Nation's greatness is built on the hopes and dreams of those who have come here from another country. I understand that. But above all, we are a Nation built on the rule of law. As a Nation and as a Congress, our duty is to enforce these laws and secure our borders.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to talk about the good news that is spreading across the country. Medicare part D is working. Seniors are signing up for a drug benefit through Medicare for the very first time. According to recent studies, seniors could save as much as $1,100 annually. This is real savings for our senior population. Over 27 million Medicare-eligible beneficiaries now have drug coverage, a 25 percent increase from February, a 25 percent increase in 1 month. Medicare's initial goal for the first year of enrollment was between 28 and 30 million beneficiaries, and they are well on their way there. In my home State of West Virginia, over 226,000 beneficiaries now have coverage, a 6 percent increase just in the month of February. 72,000 of those live in my district. This is real success. I sat next to John the other day at a dinner. He informed me with his new Medicare prescription drug coverage he is going to save $4,000 this year. This is good news. There is much more work to be done. We must pull together to work with our constituents to find the best plans for their individual situations.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. I thank my colleague from the Rules Committee, not only for talking about issues that are important to us but his service on the Rules Committee as well. And also the fact that we are taking this time to talk about an issue that is probably the most-talked about issue in my district and that is health care in a general sense, but in a broader sense health care for our future. I come from the State of West Virginia, and I think this is a great topic for somebody from West Virginia to speak on. We have passed out of the House medical liability reform I think in excess of seven times and I have lost count. I do not know exactly. But I would like to talk a little bit about what happened in the State of West Virginia and how that legislature there and the Governor there joined together to answer a desperate cry from a lot of West Virginians. In the summer of, I think it was, 2002, the only trauma center in the largest metropolitan area of our State, CAMC Trauma Center, closed because they were unable to staff the trauma center because people of the specialty and the hospital were having difficulty meeting the high cost of medical liability insurance. They could not get it. That traumatized our area. We live in a rural State; but this area, Charleston, was the magnet for all of southern West Virginia and eastern and western sides to come in case of a high-level trauma. During this time, a young boy of 4 or 5 years old got a penny stuck in his throat, and he lived about 10 minutes away from the trauma center, but the trauma center was not there. It was not open. So his parents, along with their physician, had to take him to Cincinnati, Ohio, to have this extracted from his windpipe. It had a happy ending. He was fine, but if they had not had to take that amount of time to go to Cincinnati to have the work performed, I do not know what would have happened to this young boy. Throughout 2002, I met more constituents who were telling me that their doctors, even though they were not old retirement-age doctors, middle age, in their fifties, in the peak of their profession, were moving. They were moving to other States. They were retiring out of the practice of medicine and into administration because they absolutely could not afford to continue practice. We were losing our specialty physicians. I know there is a problem nationwide with neurosurgeons, certainly orthopedists, OB-GYNs are one of the highest problem areas, and it was just cascading across our State. We are known in our State as being one of the best places for trial lawyers to set up shop. We are very, what do I want to say, generous and we have a very good litigious society.

Mrs. CAPITO. Right and we were reaching that point in West Virginia. We had our doctors leaving. Another thing, I spent Sunday night with a group of physicians here in Washington, D.C., and one of the things they told me repeatedly, no matter what State they were practicing in, is that more and more they have got to practice defensive medicine. Are you going to do the MRI, Doctor? And even though they do not think it is called for, it is not medically necessary, they go ahead and do it because if they do not do it, there is that small fraction of a chance that something might have shown up or that they could come back and be sued because they did not proceed with a procedure that they did not feel was medically necessary. And what happens when you practice defensive medicine? The cost goes up and up and up. And this was happening in West Virginia. Again, our large medical centers, we could not recruit our doctors. We would have residencies throughout our State and as soon as the physicians were trained, educated, and ready to practice, they would leave the State. And this was really very difficult because the word was out across the Nation: West Virginia, if you want to practice medicine, do not go to West Virginia. So we had all of this coupled with just the out-of-control lawyer compensation that this breeds, this medical liability breeds. So we had this kind of situation in West Virginia and what happened? It was not the doctors. It was not the hospitals. It was not the health professionals. It was the everyday citizen in West Virginia coming to policy-makers, coming to their State legislators, coming to their Governor, coming to their Congresspeople and saying, you have got to do something. You have got to pass something. And by golly, in the State of West Virginia they have passed one of the leading, cutting-edge medical liability bills that exists now in any States in the Union. And what has happened? Confidence is back in the health professions, more specialties are being recruited into our State. And just today I had a young man in my office who was just finishing his residency at Lexington, Kentucky. He said, I am coming home to West Virginia because that is where I want to raise my family and practice medicine. So medical liability does work. It does go to providing higher- quality care, refreshing your physician and health profession supply. It does go to bringing about an era of confidence that good-quality health care is going to be there for you. And so I would say in terms of, I know Dr. Gingrey has introduced the HEALTH Act again, and we are hoping that we will pass it out of the House of Representatives again, we will do that because we know it is important. But more and more what is happening in West Virginia is happening in other States across the Nation. And they are hearing from their everyday citizens, their folks who want to see their doctor when they want to see them, the doctor they have seen their whole life. And this is an extremely important issue to have before the American public. The problem has been we have passed it here, and we have not heard anything more about it. It had faded out there across the Hall. I think the stronger the voices are at the local level, just like they were in West Virginia where we did not think it could ever be done, the stronger those voices are, the more optimism we can have, we can meet the demands of a good and solid medical liability reform bill. I want to join with my colleagues here on the Health Affairs Team who think it is something we need to talk about quite a bit. If I could take just 2 more minutes here to talk about another health issue that is extremely important to me, and that is the prescription drug bill for seniors. It is something I worked on, and it is probably the number one issue as I have moved across the State over the last 5 years. I was sitting in a dinner the other night after reading all the political rhetoric about the prescription drug bill and how it does not serve people, and actually one of my colleagues from the other side of the aisle in my own State called it a national disaster. I sat down next to a gentleman. He said, I want to talk to you about the prescription drug bill. I almost thought I had to put a helmet on to hear what he had to say. I said, What is that? He said, I am going to save $4,000 this year. Thank you, Congresswoman, for passing that. Thank you for providing that first-time availability of a prescription drug bill through Medicare. I want those who are watching to know this is an extremely revolutionary bill and an availability of a prescription drug bill for our seniors. Doctor, I would like to yield back my time to you. I appreciate your efforts in this area, and I join with you in seeing that we get that medical liability reform bill passed once again.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Thank you.

Mrs. CAPITO. I would like to thank my colleague from Georgia for his leadership on so many issues, but also on his leadership of the Official Truth Squad. I think one of the things that I find when I go back to my home district is people do not get what the real truth is. The way we debate here in Congress, it is almost who can besmirch somebody's character. Who can besmirch somebody's program. Who can say in the most sensational way why something is not good, instead of actually looking at the facts and debating the truth on the facts. That is why I am pleased to be here today, because I want to talk about something that I think is very good news for the American public, and certainly the State I represent, West Virginia, is one of these and that is the state of our economy. The American economy in 2005 was the envy of the world. Just yesterday, the Prime Minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi, was here extolling the virtues of a democratic government, extolling the virtues of the enormous economic engine that the United States has and brings to the global economy. And I think he made us realize that, number one, we should not take this for granted and, number two, we should recognize it. I will talk about facts. We will stick with the facts today. Just the facts, ma'am. That is what they say. The economy grew at a robust 3.5 percent rate in 2005, making this the fourth year of expansion. For 10 of the last 11 quarters, the economy has grown at better than 3.3 percent and that is sizable. Furthermore, our economy's fundamental health was underscored by the fact that gulf coast hurricanes and rising energy prices could not derail significant growth, much to our relief. We have now seen 29 consecutive months of job gains. During this period, 4.8 million jobs were created, and 193,000 just this past January. The latest national employment figure, 4.7, is the best since July 2001, two months shy of September 11. In my home State of West Virginia, we have perennially fought high unemployment. We have perennially fought low economic gains, but I am really pleased West Virginia is part of this economic boost we are feeling across the country. Our seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.8 percent in January; 3.8 percent is the lowest seasonally adjusted rate we have ever had in the history of keeping statistics in West Virginia. In December alone, the statistics of unemployment was the lowest rate that had ever been in the history of any December when that rate was recorded in the State of West Virginia. That is wonderful news for our State. The numbers do not lie. They are real results, and the results like these do not happen by accident. Not so long ago in late 2001 during the recession, the economy was being afflicted by serious problems in the wake of 9/11, corporate scandals, and other problems. Economic growth was lagging, and Americans had stopped investing like they used to. There was no job growth, or very little. Fortunately, we here in the House acted on a piece of commonsense legislation. The less you tax something, the more you get. That goes for income, but it also goes for investment. So Congress responded with real tax relief in 2003, encouraging more Americans to invest their earnings. The Jobs and Growth Act of 2003 lowered all individual tax rates, but lowered the individual tax rate on dividend and capital gains to 15 percent. This loosened the shackles on every individual and freed the genius of the American economy. Since May 2003 when the Jobs and Growth Act was enacted, 4.7 million jobs have been created. Now, that is a truth that is undeniable. After nine straight declining quarters of business, we have seen 10 straight quarters of rising business investment. Unemployment had reached 6.3 percent in 2003; and as I said today, the 4.7 figure is lower than the averages of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. An added benefit of the tax cut was that the Federal Government actually collected more tax revenue from capital gains even though the rate was lowered. From 2003 to 2004, revenues from capital gains taxes increased from $50 to $60 billion. Last year, the Federal Government received $75 billion in capital gains tax revenue. In fact, overall government tax revenue is currently at its highest level in American history, and our State revenues are reflecting this as well. So we need to keep that tax rate at 15 percent. We recently passed H.R. 4297, and this bill would make the 15 percent tax rate permanent, and I am hopeful that will pass. But, you know, it is not Washington, D.C. that drives the economy. It is the daily choices of millions of free Americans that drive it. Small businessmen and -women, miners, farmers, taxi drivers, doctors, teachers, all these people who contribute to what we call the national economy. And we should always remember that we owe the strength of our economy to all these hardworking Americans who quietly make this country work every single day. I would like to take just a few more minutes about my home State of West Virginia. I am very proud that we have had low unemployment. It has been spiraling downward over the last several months. Our homeownership has gone up. We are at one of the highest levels of homeownership across the Nation. Our crime rate, which we are very, very pleased is perennially low, is lower than ever. I think that is indicative of the rise of the economy and the feeling of robustness and optimism that they have that they can provide for their families. In West Virginia, more people are going to college than ever before. To me that is an indicator of several things: people are preparing to engage in the knowledge-based economy that we see in our future. Also, if they are able to go on to college right after high school, what does that tell you? It means they can improve their education and they do not need to go into the workforce right away to help their families. And this is a positive step, I think, in broadening and making our West Virginia economy much greater. As everyone knows, coal is very important to our West Virginia economy. We are a resource-based economy. We always have been. We have had some very sad times recently in our coal industry, and I want to take this opportunity to thank the Nation for their heartfelt prayers and sincere thoughts concerning the loss of our miners in West Virginia. It has been very difficult for us because we are a small State. We care about each other very much and one person's loss is every person's loss. That is why we are working in a bipartisan way to do mine safety legislation here in Congress to help with oxygen supplies, to help with tracking miners, to help with communications, to help with response times. And I think that we will get to a good bipartisan resolution on how we can prevent these accidents from happening in the future. We have over 12 new mines opened in West Virginia. Twelve more than last year. Over 1,200 new miners. This shows you the strength of our economy. Over 50 percent of the electricity generated in this country is generated through coal, and we are very, very pleased about that. So I think that the problems now that I am hearing or whenever I go out to my town meetings or around grocery shopping or wherever I happen to be, I ask people all the time, how is it going? How is your business? How is work? How are you feeling about the economy? And honestly, to a person, the optimistic flavor of West Virginians both in the State and national economy is immeasurable. It is so much greater than it has been in the past, to the point where, what am I hearing now: I cannot find enough people to employ; I need 50 more people; we need more miners; we need more electricians; we need more clerks. So I think that we are going to see a time of national prosperity, as we have now, continue to grow and to continue to make that American Dream possible for every American family: the ability to buy a home, to raise your family in a community that you know is safe, to be able to enjoy those small-town values that States like Georgia and West Virginia provide in abundance to Americans. So I am very pleased that the growth and jobs packages that we have put forward in this Congress are translating into the real meat-and- potato issues on the dinner tables of America. So I thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to speak. I am going to be speaking about this a lot because I think not only do people realize it, but they need to be reminded that these things do not happen by accident; that policies go into place that bring about the economic changes that bring about more jobs, lower unemployment, more homeownership, more people going to college, and a more optimistic attitude about our future. Again, I would remind you if you did not see the Prime Minister from Italy yesterday, he had a very powerful message for Americans on several fronts, national security certainly, but also the fact of the admiration that people around the world and countries around the world have for our American economy.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Rita J. Board, Governmental Liaison for the Internal Revenue Service. Ms. Board's career extends over a 30 year period in Parkersburg, West Virginia, serving not only the taxpayers of the Second Congressional District of West Virginia but the entire State of West Virginia. The positions she held include Taxpayer Service Specialist, Taxpayer Education Coordinator, Management Analyst in the Taxpayer Advocate Service and most recently Governmental Liaison. Ms. Board has received numerous awards in recognition and appreciation of her superior effort, dedication, and personal contribution to accomplishing the goals of the Internal Revenue Service as Congress intended. It is impossible to estimate the enormous number of lives positively impacted by Ms. Board--small business individuals, volunteers, low income families, educational institutions, and exempt organizations. Ms. Board played a large part in establishing an extremely successful Taxpayer Advocate Office in West Virginia that aims to work cooperatively with Congressional Offices. Ms. Board also successfully led in the establishment of an excellent relationship between the State of West Virginia and the IRS. I commend her for these contributions to the West Virginia public. Ms. Board's family is service-oriented. Her husband, Gerald, is a retired police officer. Her daughter, Leslie, and her son, Matthew, are currently serving the public as police officers. Ms. Board has been a role model to everyone she meets. I urge my colleagues to join me, as Rita J. Board retires from the Internal Revenue Service, in celebrating her tremendous achievements during her career and in her personal life.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize February as National Heart Month. Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America, taking the lives of nearly half a million women per year, about one per minute. It claims the lives of more women than the next five causes of death combined. Unfortunately, only 13 percent of women view heart disease as a real threat. This is especially troubling, considering my home State of West Virginia consistently has one of the highest rates of heart disease among women in the Nation. We are making progress, but there is more to be done. Thankfully, the American Heart Association encourages women to love their hearts through their Go Red For Women campaign. In the heart of every woman is the power to take care of herself and influence the decisions of those around her. By instilling healthy habits now, it will impact the heart health of the entire family. The key is to provide women with the necessary knowledge and tools so they can take positive action to reduce their risks of heart disease and stroke in their lives. Women should learn more about heart disease and implement healthy habits to avoid future risks. Sixty-four percent of women who died suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms. High blood pressure, smoking, and cholesterol are all risk factors. Today, make your promise to make your heart healthy. By loving your own heart, you can save it. If women make a promise to be heart healthy, together we can wipe out the disease.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the sponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 331 to honor the now 16 West Virginia miners who have lost their lives in coal-mining accidents this year. I want to thank the Nation, I want to thank the Nation for their outpouring of concerns, prayers, and sympathy. You have fortified us as West Virginians. On the morning of January 2, an explosion rocked the Sago Mine in Upshur County, West Virginia. Thirteen men were trapped 260 feet below the surface. One, Randal McCloy, suffered serious injuries resulting from a lack of oxygen, yet he miraculously survived. Twelve other miners, Tom Anderson, Alva M. Bennett, James Bennett, Jerry Groves, Junior Hamner, Terry Helms, Jesse Jones, Dave Lewis, Martin Toler, Fred Ware, Jackie Weaver, and Marshall Winans were killed in that tragedy. Only 2 weeks later, another accident struck at the Aracoma Alma Mine in Logan County, West Virginia, taking the lives of Don Israel Bragg and Elvis Hatfield. Sadly, just last week, Edmund Vance and Paul Moss were killed in separate mining accidents in Boone County, West Virginia. These men made the ultimate sacrifice doing a job that is vital to our Nation. Over 50 percent of America's electricity comes from coal, and our West Virginia veins run with an abundance of coal. Mining is the profession most closely identified with West Virginia, not only because of our State's abundant supply of the resource, but because of the character of our people. Coal is in our blood; whether we work in the mines or not, our heritage and our souls are coal-fired. West Virginians are proud and hard-working people with a deep devotion to our country. Martin Toler, one of the Sago miners wrote to his family while he lay dying in the mine, and I quote, ``It wasn't bad. I just went to sleep. Tell all I see them on the other side. I love you.'' Simple, powerful words with great meaning. The valor of these miners is, in fact was, with them until the end. The 16 miners who died over the past 5 weeks in our State mines knew the dangers of their work. They knew that over the past century over 100,000 men have lost their lives in coal mining, but they performed their jobs with reliability and a sense of duty to their families, indeed our country. Miners know just how important their jobs are. They know how important it is to our economy across the Nation, and they sacrifice for us. Author Homer Hickam of Rocket Boys fame, who himself grew up the son of a West Virginia coal miner, wrote and delivered what I thought was an incredible eulogy to the Sago miners. He listed a philosophy of life that exemplifies coal miners and, I think, all West Virginians: We are proud of who we are. We stand up for what we believe. We keep our families together. We trust in God. We do what needs to be done. We are not afraid. Most of the time we are not thinking of coal miners when we turn on the lights or sit down to watch television. It is easy to take for granted the constant supply of relatively inexpensive electricity we have in this country. It is easy to forget that somebody gave of themselves and risked injury or death to mine the coal that powers the Nation's economy. Today in the wake of the terrible tragedy at Sago and the death of the miners at the Aracoma Alma and Boone County mines, we as a Congress pause to remember the coal miners. We remember their hard work and sacrifice. We remember that each one of these men was a husband, a grandfather, a father, a brother and a son, and we pray for each of their families as they cope with the loss of a loved one. And we pray for Randal McCloy, who, despite improvements, faces a long road to recovery from his injuries. This resolution also stands to honor the mine rescue teams who were willing to sacrifice themselves to save others. Rescuers of Sago were eager to enter even before it was safe to do so. Once in the mine, these rescuers demonstrated tremendous courage. And without their work, it is doubtful that Randal McCloy would be with us today. West Virginia's communities came together during these tragedies, as they always do, to support their friends and neighbors. You see, in West Virginia, we are all family with a special closeness and respect for one another. During this time I sat and talked with the families at the Sago Baptist Church as we awaited news from their rescuers. The prayers and support of people from across the Upshur County area and the Nation was overwhelming at the church, and this resolution honors the commitment and friendship shown by these folks. I know that this commitment of community and family not only occurred in Sago, about also in Logan and Boone Counties because, as I said, in West Virginia, we are family. Through our sorrow, we recognize our duty to do our part to improve safety for our miners. Sixteen West Virginians have been lost this year. While this resolution honors their loss, their legacy must be safe mines. It is important that Congress, State governments, MSHA, mine operators, and miners themselves work in a concerted effort to improve mine health and safety. The West Virginia delegation has introduced on a bipartisan basis the Federal Mine Safety Act of 2006. I hope my colleagues will support this effort to bring enhanced technology to the mines, improve rescue teams, and ultimately save lives. We all recognize the dangers of the mining profession, but we must do everything in our power to make underground mining safe. I have seen the pain and suffering in West Virginia at Sago, Logan, and at Boone County, and I do not want to see that suffering again. We must act to prevent similar accidents. May God bless the lost West Virginia coal miners and their families and friends.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, in the month of January, two major mining accidents took place in West Virginia, killing 12 miners at the Sago mine in Upshur County and 2 at the Alma mine in Logan County. Today the West Virginia congressional delegation on a bipartisan basis, introduced the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 2006. This mine safety legislation will require the Mine Safety and Health Administration to issue regulations to provide for immediate notification of mine accidents, new regulations for mine safety teams to ensure a quick response, and improved technology to keep miners safe. Specifically, the bill requires that mine rescue teams employed by the mine operator and familiar with an individual mine be available to respond immediately. Regulations require that three mine safety teams be present--two in a mine and one standing by outside--prior to a rescue operation beginning. It is important that the necessary rescue teams be in place as soon as possible so that the rescue can begin as soon as mine conditions allow. This legislation creates an MSHA Office of Science and Technology, and requires MSHA to examine new mine safety and rescue technologies, including refuge chambers. The world watched as tragedy was averted in Canada this past weekend because 72 trapped miners were able to escape to a designated safe haven with a supply of oxygen and communications technology. The Federal Mine Safety Act would require that emergency supplies of oxygen and breathing equipment be placed in strategic locations in the mine. Each of these locations would also include communications equipment so that miners can provide information about their location and condition to rescuers, and miners can receive information from the outside. The legislation also calls for miners to be provided with emergency tracking devices. Other provisions of the legislation, including a miner ombudsman in the Department of Labor to take reports of safety violations from miners, will also help to make our mines safer. It is important that this House act on legislation to improve the safety of our coal mines. I spent time with the friends and families of the Sago mine victims, both as we awaited news on the rescue effort and after we knew the tragic result. I do not want to watch more families endure what the families of the Sago victims went through. I urge my colleagues, whether your State is a major producer of coal or not, and regardless of your party affiliation, to join the West Virginia delegation in helping to prevent future mining tragedies.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, first I would like to thank the Nation and my fellow West Virginians for their prayers during our month of sorrow caused by our coal mining accidents. As you know, two major mining accidents took place in West Virginia, killing 12 miners at Sago mine in Upshur County and 2 at the Alma mine in Logan County. Today the West Virginia Congressional delegation, on a bipartisan basis, will introduce the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 2006. This mine safety legislation will require the Mine Safety and Health Administration to issue regulations to provide for immediate notification of mine accidents, new regulations for mine safety teams, and to ensure a quick response and improve technology to keep miners safe. This legislation creates an MSHA Office of Science and Technology and examine mine safety and rescue technologies, including refuge chambers. The world watched as tragedy was averted in Canada this past weekend because 72 trapped miners were able to escape to a designated safe haven. American miners deserve to have the best safety equipment as well. It is important that this House act on legislation to improve the safety of our coal mines. I spent time with the friends and family of the Sago mine victims, both as we awaited the news of the rescue efforts and after we heard the tragic result. I do not want to watch more families endure what the families of the Sago victims have gone through. I urge my colleagues, whether your State is a major producer of coal or not, to join the West Virginia delegation in helping to prevent future mine tragedies.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying PATRIOT Act reauthorization. I would like to take a minute to highlight two aspects of this legislation that we probably will not hear a whole lot about today, but are very important to me. I am pleased that the conference report includes the amendment that I introduced and which passed the House 362-66 to increase penalties and update outdated laws to protect our rail and mass transportation systems. This provision, section 110 of the conference report, will ensure that those who conspire to commit attacks against our rail systems or fund such attacks can be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. While no penalties can deter some of these terrorists bent on causing death and destruction, these enhanced penalties on conspirators will hinder the efforts of terrorists to secure and finance their networks. The attacks on the rail systems in Madrid and in the London Underground have demonstrated the real threat that rail and mass transportation systems face. I would like to thank Chairman Sensenbrenner and all the Members who supported this important provision to add another layer of protection to America's rail systems. Also I want to commend the conferees for including anti-meth legislation in the conference report. Methamphetamine is a large and growing problem in rural America. In West Virginia, meth labs have been found in neighborhoods, endangering children and innocent members of the community. Provisions of this bill enhance penalties for those who run meth labs in the presence of children. This bill also places restrictions on the sale of meth precursor chemicals that are similar to those that the West Virginia legislature passed earlier this year and other legislatures throughout the country. Provisions in this bill require that meth precursors be sold from behind the counter or from a locked cabinet and place better controls on mail order and Internet sales. Authorization in this legislation will ensure that the Meth Hot Spots grant program will continue. This program has already provided assistance to local law enforcement in many districts, including the Metro Drug Task Force in my hometown of Charleston, West Virginia. Continuing this grant program will enable Congress to continue to help our communities fight the meth problem.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this fair rule and the underlying legislation, where critical dollars will fund our Nation's education system, health care delivery system and numerous other benefits. With this funding, low-income Americans will be better prepared for a long cold winter with the $2 billion funding in LIHEAP. Our seniors will greatly benefit from the money provided allowing CMS to conduct outreach to our Medicare beneficiaries to sign up for the new prescription drug benefit. The $90 million included for Rural Health Delivery is vitally important to rural America. These are all important programs that will improve the way of life for countless Americans. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to respond. I have been in Congress for 5 years, and I have great respect for my colleague who has many more years and much experience, much more experience than I do. But my understanding of a conference report, which we are addressing now, it cannot be amended, it cannot be attached to and it cannot have any spending cut attached to it. He is leading me and others to believe that when we step up to vote for this, we will be voting for an across- the-board 1 percent cut. I find that incredulous because I know there will be no such vote placed on this bill. I want the general public viewing this to realize we are voting on a tough bill. The appropriation is for labor and education and health services, but we are not voting on an across-the-board cut when we vote for this bill. We have made several choices here. We have put more money into reading which I think is vital. Over the past 5 years, incredible amounts of money have been put into pulling the reading skills up in elementary school and improving that vital part of our educational system. We have worked on increasing special ed funding. I think we can all agree that the needs there are tremendously important across the country. We have improved that as well. So I think for the understanding to be that this bill is going to be coupled with an across-the-board cut that means this is less than what it is, I find that to be disingenuous; and, quite frankly, I do not think that is quite actually what is going to occur. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to respond to the gentlewoman's assertion that this is the second time around, which it most certainly is. Adjustments were made. There were many folks on our side of the aisle who had concerns about the rural health provisions, I among those folks, because we are heavily reliant on our community health centers. Many adjustments were made, as I mentioned in my opening statement, to address some of the issues of rural health. When we talk about priorities, this bill is chock full of America's priorities, and certainly education is one of them. I would like to review that in this bill there is $100 million more for those special education needs. As I said 3 weeks ago, is this going to solve the problem? Is this enough money to meet every need for every challenged child and every family of a challenged child? Certainly not. But we are getting there and working towards that. In terms of Pell grants and affordability of higher education, it is at an all-time high, $4,050; and there is an additional $812 million to meet those challenges for those seeking higher education. There is a particular emphasis in this bill for math and science. We hear about our students who cannot compete in the global economy, how students are not going into the math and science fields and we are getting left behind by those around the world. This will strengthen the K-12 math and science education. Again, I would like to mention the TRIO and GEAR-UP programs because they are particularly significant in my State, very effective and long- standing, and I am pleased they are going to be there to help that first-time college student meet the challenges as they move towards higher education. Another important program is Job Corps. It is a labor program that helps those students transition and move from education to the workforce in a very forceful way and a very successful way. I realize that choices have to be made in these difficult areas of health, education and labor; but the choices we have made here I think are good solid choices, and I support the rule and the underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to my friend and colleague from California (Ms. Matsui), 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. Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 596 is a rule waiving all points of order against the conference report accompanying H.R. 3010 and against its consideration. This rule provides that the conference report shall be considered as read. Mr. Speaker, the underlying legislation is one of the most important measures we consider each year. The underlying legislation will fund a broad array of programs improving the health, education and lifestyle of many Americans. I would like to congratulate the chairman and ranking member of the full committee and subcommittee for their hard work on this essential spending bill. Mr. Speaker, the future of America hinges on the success of our future generations and their ability to compete with the rest of the world. In order for our children to succeed, they must be equipped with a high-quality education. I am happy to say that since Republicans took control of Congress, funding for the Department of Education has doubled; more recently, over the last 5 years, total education spending has increased by nearly 50 percent. Our children will benefit from an improved educational system that will enhance their ability to succeed and better prepare that next generation of workers. The fundamental root of all education is reading. As we enter the holiday season, many families will join together in reading holiday stories providing wonderful memoirs for years to come. Unfortunately, some children are not able to read at the appropriate grade level. Included in this legislation is $1 billion for reading programs that will enable States to eliminate the reading deficit through science- and research-based reading programs. I am also very pleased that the TRIO and GEAR UP programs are included in this all-important funding package. These programs assist low-income, first-generation college students in their transition from high school to college. This is a difficult transition for any student, but especially those who are the first in their family to attend college. We must continue to support programs like TRIO and GEAR UP so that these students will continue to flourish. Mr. Speaker, another important responsibility we have is to ensure that our citizens have access to health care facilities and treatments. Included in this legislation is a $66 million increase in funding for community health centers that are so vitally important across this Nation, but especially in rural States, much like my home State of West Virginia. In the last 5 years, Congress has increased funding for these critical components of our health care delivery system by 48 percent. I am especially pleased with the increased rural health funding included in this conference report. Millions of Americans across the country, including a majority of my West Virginia constituents, are faced with drastically different health care challenges because they reside in rural areas. This conference report includes a $90 million increase in funding for rural health programs. Included in this package are funds for the Office of Rural Health and Research Policy, Rural Health Outreach Grants, Area Health Education Centers, and Medical Training. These programs will improve rural health care delivery through continued research, improved technology, and development of health care professionals in rural America. The National Institutes of Health, NIH, continues to serve our Nation well by developing new treatments and cures for the many diseases that plague our society. With a total funding level of the $28.6 billion, the researchers at NIH will be able to continue this mission so we may become a healthier Nation and global society. A key aspect of a healthier society is one where all citizens have access to prescription drugs; and I am proud to say since November 15, Medicare-eligible beneficiaries have been able to sign up for a prescription drug benefit under Medicare. The resources provided in the underlying legislation will allow the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services to properly conduct that outreach effort that is so important that will hopefully enroll every senior that stands to benefit from this program. Mr. Speaker, we are all aware of the challenges that can potentially face all Americans this coming winter, so the high cost of natural gas is something we are very concerned about. In this bill, the State formula grants for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, LIHEAP, are funded at over $2 billion; and we fund an additional billion dollars included in the House-passed Deficit Reduction Act passed earlier this month. As with any appropriation legislation, we had tough choices to make. These choices are particularly difficult when dealing with the sensitive health and education issues like the ones in this bill. The Committee on Appropriations allocated the available resources in this bill in a manner that emphasizes those programs most important to our Nation. Mr. Speaker, this is solid legislation that I believe all Members will be able to support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 596 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this fair rule and the bipartisan underlying legislation which funds critical dollars to our Nation's educational system, health care delivery system, and as the gentlewoman from California spoke so eloquently about, our health research areas. With this funding, low-income Americans will be better prepared for a potentially long winter. It got a little colder here today, and we know it is going to continue to be cold as we move through the winter; and this bill provides $2 billion in LIHEAP funding. Our seniors will greatly benefit from the money appropriated, allowing CMS to conduct outreach to all Medicare beneficiaries who are now able to sign up for the new Medicare prescription drug plan. These are all important programs, and there are others too numerous to mention. I urge my colleagues to support the rule, support the legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to talk a little bit about some of the priorities, particularly in the education section of this bill. I have already mentioned the TRIO and GEAR UP programs for first-time college goers. Certainly those are important programs in my State and throughout the United States. But let us look at something that we are lacking across the Nation, and that is in our math and sciences. There has been special emphasis in this bill on math and science partnerships so we can train our future engineers to compete globally. The chairman spoke about how the world is flat. Well, if we do not have math and science education at the elementary and high school level, we are not going to be able to compete in the global market. So I am proud of the $184 million that is going to help with training teachers. Special education is something that I think touches many, many families throughout the United States. We hear a lot about that in our office, and I am certain every Member's office. In special ed, this bill is funding over last year's budget $100 million. Will that meet every need for every special ed student? No, unfortunately it will not, and it cannot. But it will go towards helping those families and that student become a productive person in their adult life. Reading programs and improving teacher quality programs. Certainly the key to success in school is reading, but the key to success in school is a good teacher. We need to improve the teacher quality and help our teachers become not only as good as they can be but even better. And that goes also to the principals. There is a principal shortage here in our country. We have to work with our teachers so they want to become principals and guide our teachers to educate our children. Those are some of the education priorities I wanted to highlight in this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would like to point out that this bill probably touches every single American's life. It is extremely important because it is the broad reach of education and health care, and these are very complicated and large programs. And I want to congratulate the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), chairman of the subcommittee, for the intense work that he has done not only on our side, but through the conference. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula). (Mr. REGULA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui), 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. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 559 is a rule which waives all points of order against the conference report accompanying H.R. 3010 and against its consideration. The rule provides that the conference report shall be considered as read. Mr. Speaker, the underlying legislation is one of the most important measures we consider each year. I would like to congratulate the members of the Appropriations Committee for putting together a comprehensive package that will improve the education of our children, care for our seniors and our underprivileged. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to see that since Republicans took control of Congress, funding for the Department of Education has doubled. More recently, over the last 5 years, total education spending has increased by nearly 50 percent. Our children will benefit from an improved educational system that will enhance their ability to succeed and better prepare the next generation of workers. The fundamental root of all education is reading. As a parent and a former educator, the time I spent reading with my children will be forever cherished. Unfortunately, some of our youth do not have that opportunity at home. So included in this legislation is $1 billion for reading programs that will enable States to eliminate the reading deficit through scientific research-based reading programs. I am also very pleased that the TRIO and GEAR UP programs are included in this all important funding package. These programs assist low-income, first generation college students in their transition from high school to college. This is a difficult transition for any student, but especially for those who are the first in their families to attend college. We must continue to support programs like TRIO and GEAR UP so that these students can continue to flourish. Mr. Speaker, another important responsibility we have is to ensure that citizens have access to health care facilities and treatments. Included in this legislation is a $66 million increase in the Community Health Centers that are so vitally important across the Nation, but especially in rural States like my home State of West Virginia. The National Institutes of Health continues to serve our Nation well by developing new treatments and cures for the many diseases that plague our society. With a total funding level of $28.6 billion, the researchers at NIH will be able to continue this mission so that we become a healthier Nation and global society. A key aspect of a healthier society is where all citizens have access to prescription drugs, and I am proud to say that as of November 15, just 2 days ago, Medicare eligible beneficiaries have been able to sign up for a prescription drug plan under Medicare. The resources provided in the underlying legislation will allow the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services to properly conduct an outreach effort that will hopefully enroll every senior that stands to benefit from this program. Mr. Speaker, we are all aware of the challenges that could potentially face all Americans in the coming winter, especially the high cost of natural gas. I am pleased to say that the State formula grants for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, are funded at $2 billion in this legislation and an additional $1 billion will be included in the House version of the budget reconciliation bill. As with any appropriations legislation, tough choices were made. These choices are particularly difficult when dealing with the sensitive areas of health and education. The Appropriations Committee allotted the available resources in this bill in a manner that emphasizes these programs most important to our Nation. Mr. Speaker, this is solid legislation that I believe all Members should be able to support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 559 and ask for its immediate consideration.