Michael Doyle

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 599, the FCC Consolidated Reporting Act. This bill passed the House last Congress with unanimous support after careful negotiations that resulted in a bipartisan agreement. The FCC oversees a wide range of industries that drive economic growth in the Nation. These industries connect businesses to markets large and small, but, most importantly, they deliver innovative new products and services to consumers. Democrats and Republicans agree that the FCC needs to collect good data to inform the public about these dynamic markets. Good data is important for Congress to have as well so that we can make good policy decisions and conduct oversight of the FCC. At the same time, we have worked to ensure this effort to promote efficiency does not undermine important existing FCC obligations and authorities. Again, this bill is one I think that all Members can support. I urge its passage today. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers on my side, so I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in general support of H.R. 582. The primary sponsor is Representative Gohmert. This is a bill that passed the House last Congress by voice vote. I agree that we must do all we can to make sure that consumers using multiline telephone systems can directly dial 911 without having to dial additional digits first. These are in many large office buildings and hotels. Many of these systems require consumers to dial an extra 9 before they get a dial tone. You have to hit 9 before you get your dial tone to get an outside line. Most of us know that, but too many people do not realize that this applies to 911. If you don't dial 9 first, you can't reach the emergency services. Such a requirement led to a tragedy in Texas several years ago. Kari Dunn was killed while her 9-year-old daughter tried to call for help. She did what she was taught to do in an emergency. She dialed 911. But because the system she was using required her to dial a 9 first, she only heard silence on the other end of the line. Building on the Herculean effort of Kari Dunn's family, we are one step closer to fixing this problem once and for all. H.R. 582 is an important step to making our systems work better in an emergency. But for all the good this bill does, it still leaves work to be done. Specifically, these multiline systems still often fail to deliver accurate location information to first responders. That means that if somebody called 911 from this very building, for instance, precious minutes would tick by as emergency personnel struggle to figure out where the call came from in this enormous complex. That delay could be the difference between life and death. We have to correct this problem, too, because making sure the call goes through is only helpful if the public safety officials can find the caller. Democrats tried to include such a provision in the version of this bill from last Congress, and at that time we received a commitment from Chairman Walden to work together on a separate bill to address this concern. We were not able to solve this problem in the last Congress, and we expect that commitment will carry over to this Congress. I urge Members to support H.R. 582. Mr. Speaker, we have no other speakers on this side, so I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of my constituents, Jeffrey Ballou, who takes up new responsibilities today as the 110th President of the National Press Club. Jeff is a Pittsburgh native, the son of Geneva and Henry Ballou. He grew up in Pittsburgh's Homewood-Brushton neighborhood, and he attended Taylor Allderdice High School before going on to earn his undergraduate degree in journalism from Penn State University and his graduate degree in journalism and public affairs from American University. Jeff is an unwavering fan of Pittsburgh's legendary sports teams--the Pirates, the Steelers, and the Penguins. Jeff started his career in journalism working for CONUS Communications covering the White House. He subsequently worked as planning editor for Fox Television Channel 5, WTTG, here in Washington, DC. He worked at C-SPAN and National Public Radio as well. He's spent roughly the last ten years at Al Jazeera Media Network, first as its Deputy News Editor and then as Editor of its 24-hour English language news channel. Throughout his career, Jeff Ballou has demonstrated a strong commitment to objective journalism and to improving the profession. He served on the Executive Committee of the Radio & Television Correspondents Association, for example, and he served as President and National Committee Co-Chair of the National Association of Black Journalists. Finally, he has been actively involved in the National Press Club, which proudly claims the title of ``the world's leading professional organization for journalists.'' For more than a hundred years, the National Press Club has been a prominent organization in the field of journalism and an advocate for free press around the world. Jeff has been a member of the National Press Club since 1992 and served on its board from 2014 to 2015. Jeff was elected to serve as Vice President of the organization over the past year, and in recognition of his extensive experience in journalism and his proven leadership skills, Jeff was elected to serve as the 110th President of the National Press Club for the coming year. I am confident that Jeff's many years of experience have prepared him well for his new responsibilities as President of this storied institution. I want to congratulate Jeff on this honor--and new opportunity to improve the profession of journalism, and I wish him a successful term as the 110th President of the National Press Club.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, this is the final amendment to the bill, which will not kill the bill or send it back to committee. If adopted, the bill will immediately proceed to final passage, as amended. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this motion to recommit in order to significantly improve this bill by restoring the bipartisan Buy American language that was inextricably stripped over the last 3 days. The WIIN Act provides important funding for ports, harbors, and waterways around the country. I think infrastructure issues like this bill should be something we can all agree on. In fact, they have been historically bipartisan. Then again, I also think that support for hardworking Americans should also be bipartisan. I was disappointed that my bipartisan amendment, offered by myself and my good friend from North Carolina, Representative Walter Jones, was rejected yesterday at the Rules Committee by a party-line vote. Our amendment would have made the Buy American provisions for EPA's Drinking Water State Revolving Fund permanent, matching all other clean water programs and all other Federal infrastructure programs. I want to reemphasize that. Every other program, Federal infrastructure programs, clean water programs, have permanent Buy American provisions. So the question is: Why does this bill just have a 1-year provision? If you don't think that sends a signal to China that 1 year from today they can start dumping steel over in the United States and undercutting our steel industry and our steelworkers, then you are not living on the same planet that I am. The Senate passed their bill, including language making the Buy American requirement for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund permanent, with an overwhelming bipartisan vote, 95-3. House Republican leadership, for some unexplained reason, replaced this bipartisan Senate language with a 1-year extension at the last minute. I don't understand why we would do this, why we would undercut the American steel industry; but I believe that their actions send a clear message to those folks in the steel mills around our country that we don't have their back. These hardworking Americans depend on manufacturing jobs to support their families, and they have suffered because of Chinese steel dumped in our markets. U.S. steel mills have closed. American steelworkers have lost their jobs, and others have had their hours cut. This is personal to me. My father supported our family working in a steel mill, just like his father before him. They supported their families through these tough, dangerous jobs, like millions around the country. There is dignity in that work, and we need to make sure that Congress doesn't kill that dignity, along with the kind of jobs Americans can support a family on. U.S. tax dollars should support American manufacturers and help preserve hardworking families across this Nation. I think these workers and their families deserve more certainty and more support. President-elect Trump said just last week: ``We have two simple rules when it comes to this massive rebuilding effort: Buy American and hire American.'' Now, the President-elect and I may be from different parties, but we certainly agree on that. I have had Members from both sides of the aisle come up to me and say that they support our amendment, and that they would vote for it on the floor. Members on both sides of the aisle at Rules spoke in favor of this amendment. Well, we didn't get the vote we wanted out of the Rules Committee, but, colleagues, this is our chance to send a message and tell the American workers and American manufacturers that we have got their back by passing this motion to recommit. It just does one simple thing. It changes this 1-year provision to permanent, just like the Senate bill that got sent down here and every other infrastructure bill that we do in this country. Colleagues, let's not send the signal to China that America is open for them to dump their steel and put our companies and our workers out of jobs. Let's tell American companies and American workers that this Congress has their back. Vote for this motion to recommit and let's stick up for the American worker and our American manufacturers. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. I am opposed to it in its current form.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from Pennsylvania, the Honorable Dwight Evans, be permitted to take the oath of office today. His certificate of election has not arrived, but there is no contest and no question has been raised with regard to his election.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I would invite all of the Pennsylvania delegation to come forward. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to welcome our newest colleague. Dwight Evans is a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, and he comes to the House after decades of service to his community and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. After graduating from La Salle University, he taught school and worked as a community activist before he was elected to the Pennsylvania State Legislature in 1980. He has represented the 203rd legislative district in Pennsylvania's House of Representatives for the last 36 years and was chairman of the Appropriations Committee in that body. Representative Evans has worked successfully to redevelop and revitalize neighborhoods in Philadelphia. He has worked tirelessly to fight hunger, increase public investments in education, improve public safety, and promote economic development across Pennsylvania. I am pleased to welcome such a dedicated public servant to this legislative body. I look forward to working with him and our colleagues in the Pennsylvania delegation to serve the Commonwealth in this great Nation. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts), my good friend who is the dean of the Pennsylvania Republican delegation.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, the bipartisan expanded background checks legislation, to honor the memory of Chelsea and Justin Reed from Citronelle, Alabama, killed in their sleep, who never received a moment of action on the House floor.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas. All of us on this side of the aisle share the grief and the sadness we all feel about the lives lost in Dallas, in Louisiana, in Minnesota, and anywhere in this country where innocent victims lose their lives. Well, this is unfamiliar territory for me. I haven't had a speech prepared for this one.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, that trophy sure looks out of place on that side of the aisle, but I want to say congratulations to the Republican team. You guys played a good game, and you deserved to win. We make no excuses. It was a very exciting contest for the fans in the stands to watch. As always, Joe, as you and I both know, the big winners are the Boys and Girls Club of Washington, D.C., the Washington Literacy Council, and the Dream Foundation. I believe we were able to raise $500,000 this year. And that is really what this is all about and why we play this game and the camaraderie that goes along with it. So I would say to my friend from Texas, enjoy that trophy in your office this year because it is coming back to a different location next year.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I would ask our Democratic Members to stand up and be recognized, too.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to bring up H.R. 1217, the bipartisan expanded background checks legislation to honor the memory of Gino Nicholas, a victim of gun violence who never received a moment of silence on the House floor.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, the American public want us to act. They spoke loud and clear. They want an end to the gun violence that is taking place in this country. We sat down on this House floor to stand up for those Americans who want to see Congress put on Record as to where they stand on this issue. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents--80 percent-plus support background checks. They support no fly, no buy. Mr. Speaker, all we are asking for this week and what the American people are asking you for is a vote on these two simple principles. The Rules Committee is going to meet tonight. We ask that you include two amendments that Democrats will bring forward: no fly, no buy--if you can't fly on an airplane, you can't buy a gun--and comprehensive, expanded backgrounds checks. Mr. Speaker, I don't think that is too much for us to ask. The American people will be watching to see where their Members of Congress stand on these two important issues.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of my constituents, Harold Hayes, who is retiring after more than 35 years in broadcasting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Harold has a lifelong connection to the city of Pittsburgh. Born in McKeesport, Harold went on to graduate from South Hills High School and then from the University of Pittsburgh. He joined KDKA-TV as a reporter in 1979, and he has been there ever since, providing the people of southwestern Pennsylvania with solid, objective reporting about the news that matters to them. There is no doubt that Harold Hayes has served as Pittsburgh's reporter throughout his many years with KDKA. I want to commend Harold for his contributions to our community, congratulate him on his retirement, and wish him all the best as he begins the next phase of his life. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of my constituents, Harold Hayes, who's retiring after more than thirty-five years in broadcasting in Pittsburgh, PA. Harold has a lifelong connection to the City of Pittsburgh. Born in McKeesport, Harold went on to graduate from South Hills High School and then from the University of Pittsburgh in 1975 with a Bachelor's degree in Speech and Communications. After graduation, Harold worked as a research assistant in the ``Reading is Fundamental'' program, sponsored by the Urban League of Pittsburgh. In August of 1979, Harold joined KDKA-TV as a reporter, and he's been there ever since, providing the people of southwestern Pennsylvania with solid, objective reporting about the news that matters to them. Since joining the station, Harold has covered everything from military operations in the Middle East to landmark local court cases. He has amassed an impressive portfolio of overseas coverage, including reporting on Operation Desert Shield in Saudi Arabia in 1990, the government of Kuwait's memorial to the local lives lost during Operation Desert Storm in 1993, and the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005. Yet his touch has really been felt locally, not only reporting on the day-to-day lives of Pittsburghers, but even making sure to follow up on stories that made headlines years ago. For example, he covered the 1981 court desegregation order that resulted in the creation of the Woodland Hills School District. Twenty years later, he found one of the students he had interviewed back then, and discovered that the former student now had a child who was about to graduate from Woodland Hills as well. It is this type of dedication and compassion that has distinguished Harold from most other reporters in Pittsburgh for years. Harold has covered both tragedy and triumph, as well as the personal stories of working people, Presidents, and protesters all with equal grace, fairness, compassion, and his special dry sense of humor. Harold brings both humility and perspective to his work every day, and because of that, has remained a consummate professional throughout his 37 years of work. He represents that high level of personal integrity and the demanding work ethic that characterize the people of Southwestern Pennsylvania. There is no doubt that Harold Hayes has served as ``Pittsburgh's Reporter'' throughout his many years with KDKA. We will miss Harold's presence on the air. Harold represents the best that there is in broadcast journalism, and he will be recognized for his contributions by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in September when he will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at a ceremony in Philadelphia, PA. Harold's commitment to our community extends far beyond his career as a newsman. He has also become a spokesperson for the Negro Educational Emergency Fund (NEED), and he created a scholarship in his mother's name for local students. In addition, he helps raise money for the Rev. J. Harold Hayes Scholarship, named for his late father, a former pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in McKeesport. I want to commend Harold for his contributions to our community, congratulate him on his retirement, and wish him all the best as he begins the next phase of his life.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the artistic ability of a young woman from my Congressional District, Alyssa Marsh from Springdale High School. Ms. Marsh is the winner of the 2016 14th Congressional District of Pennsylvania's High School Art Competition, ``An Artistic Discovery.'' Ms. Marsh's artwork, a drawing in colored pencil entitled ``American Reflaction,'' was selected from a number of outstanding entries to this year's competition. In fact, 74 works from 16 different schools in Pennsylvania's 14th Congressional District were submitted to our panel of respected local artists. It's a real tribute to Ms. Marsh's skill and vision that her work was chosen as the winner of this year's competition. Ms. Marsh's artwork will represent the 14th Congressional District of Pennsylvania in the national exhibit of high school students' artwork that will be displayed in the United States Capitol over the coming year. I encourage my colleagues as well as any visitor to Capitol Hill to view Ms. Marsh's artwork, along with the winning entries from the high school art contests held in other Congressional Districts, which will be on display in the Capitol tunnel. It is amazing to walk through this corridor and see the interpretation of life through the eyes of these young artists from all across our country. Miranda Miller from Woodland Hills High School was awarded second place for her untitled oil and acrylic painting. Incidentally, Ms. Miller received third place last year for her acrylic on board painting entitled ``Corner of Hanover and Church,'' and she won the top prize in 2014 for her charcoal composition ``City Built on Hope.'' Hannah Schwartz from Penn Hills High School received third place for her Boise acrylic composition entitled ``Pup Kaiyai.'' Sabrina Davies from West Mifflin High School was awarded fourth place for her white charcoal, watercolor, and acrylic artwork entitled ``The Lingering Past,'' and Nicole Bonomo from Wilson Christian Academy received the fifth place award for her acrylic composition ``Snowy Owl.'' In addition, Honorable Mention Awards were presented to works by Zachary Blanner from Baldwin High School; Ada Griffin and Sagar Kamath from the Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School; Leah Berman- Kress from the Ellis School; Kerry Dietrich from Montour High School; Sara Weir from Riverview High School; Macy K. Ernst and Nick Lasica from South Allegheny High School; Lauren Boyd and Alyssa Tocco from Springdale High School; Haley Peretic from Wilson Christian Academy; and Kobe Sanders of Woodland Hills High School. I would like to recognize all of the participants in this year's 14th Congressional District High School Art Competition, ``An Artistic Discovery:'' from Baldwin High School, Zachary Blanner, Casey R. Conboy, Natalie Weida, and Jasmine Wicks; from CAPA, Ada Griffin, Sagar Kamath, Victoria Kipiller, Todd LaQuatra, Mia M. Stanton, and Abigail Sullivan; from East Allegheny High School, Sarah Cornell, Kylee Fazek, Daneille Foscoe, Katlyn McArdle, Kacy Neiderlander, Mark Robinson, and Santino Runco; from the Ellis School, Leah Berman-Kress, Lela Krackow, Mishon Levine, and Alexandra Papernick; from Montour High School, Kerry Dietrich, Emily Kortisky, and Olivia Trevenen; from Penn Hills High School, Marieme Diop, Seanna Dutrieuille, YaKira Porter, Hannah Schwartz, and Katarina Marie Shields; from Propel School, Constance Alexander, Diamonne Fuller, Breeonia Prioleau, and Jordan Todd; from Riverview High School, Viktoria Kutunina, Emma Patterson, and Sara Weir; from Serra Catholic High School, Tyler J. Gedman, Jen Pricener; from the Shuman Center, Kimberly Andrews, Walter Hodge, and Zaire Mauro; from South Allegheny High School, Jared Brysh, Macy K. Ernst, Nick Lasica, Madison Pastore, and Nicolette Ruhl; from Springdale High School, Lauren Boyd, Taylor Frantz, Alyssa Marsh, Andrew Strawinski, Alyssa Tocco, and Alyssa Vansach; from Sto-Rox High School, Amber Bayton, Julia Black, Shan Lin, Allana Molter, Katelyn Parker, and Beauty Williams; from West Mifflin High School, Nicole Beres, Michaeline Bost, Sabrina Davies, and Jordin Waugaman; from Wilson Christian Academy, Andrew Arovits, Nicole Bonomo, Jessica Hinchman, and Haley Peretic; from Woodland Hills High School, Juliette Gough, Miranda Miller, Kobe Sanders, Rayven Smith, Roni J. Taylor, and Dejon Young. I would like to thank these impressive young artists for allowing us to share and celebrate their talents, imagination, and creativity. The efforts of these students in expressing themselves in a powerful and positive manner are no less than spectacular I hope that all of these individuals continue to utilize their artistic talents, and I wish them all the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Girls of Steel robotics team on winning the Engineering Inspiration award at the 2016 Queen City Regional FIRST Robotics Competition in Cincinnati, Ohio. This is the most prestigious award at FIRST, and it honors the team that does the most to increase appreciation for engineering in its community and embodies the purpose and goals of FIRST. The Girls of Steel also won the Entrepreneurship Award at the 2016 Greater Pittsburgh FIRST Robotics Competition in California, PA. This award recognizes the team that developed the best business plan to identify, manage, and accomplish its objectives. I think that winning these awards speaks volumes to the dedication with which these young women are pursuing ``STEM'' careers, along with the hundreds of hours they have spent conducting outreach in their community. FIRST, which stands for ``For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,'' is an organization dedicated to engaging our students in STEM fields. Hundreds of thousands of students gain practical, team- based engineering experience through FIRST every year. The FIRST Robotics Competition allows these students to apply creativity and critical thinking in the demanding and competitive field of robotics, all while instilling a strong sense of pride in participants. As a founder and co-chair of the Congressional Robotics Caucus, I believe competitions like these are incredible tools for helping the next generation to explore potential careers in STEM. I've witnessed firsthand the incredible economic growth and development that these fields can bring in my home district, and I strongly believe that they are crucial to our nation's future prosperity. For encouraging young people in these pursuits, I want to commend organizations like FIRST for their important work. In addition to their success at these competitions, the Girls of Steel have also been featured in American Girl Life: Get Your Science On!, Xploration Earth 2050 ``The Future of Robotics Makers and Innovators'', and they will be featured this year in an original documentary series called ``What We Teach Girls,'' which takes a close look at what girls are being taught around the globe. Recently, they even met with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at Carnegie Mellon University and had the opportunity to speak with her about the design of their robot and why they joined Girls of Steel. Sixty-one young women from 8th through 12th grades associated with schools located in and around the Pittsburgh area are members of this year's Girls of Steel. In recognition of their hard work, intelligence, and teamwork, I would like to mention each of these inspiring young ladies by name. They are Alexandria Adams, Vishi Agrawal, Arushi Bandi, Margaret Begg, Emilia Bianchini, Kimball Bruning, Julia Bukowski, Emma Burnett, Melissa Burnett, Hanna Chen, Mulin Chen, Claire Cummings, Hope DiGioia, Samantha Eppinger, Clarisa Espinoza-Delgado, Rozie Fero, Corinne Hartman, Kristina Hilko, Sydney Hnat, Madelyn Human, Anna Jablonowski, Katelyn Johnson, Isabelle Kowenhoven, Jisue Lee, Sophia Lee, Shiyu Liu, Huiyun Liu, Sofia Liovet-Nava, Gayathri Manchella, Jordan Martinez, Svea McCann, Sree Mekala, Cheyenne Meyers, Claire Morton, Gigi Nieson, Anne Kailin Northam, Jimin Oh, Maddie Oppelt, Helen Paulini, Lehka Pendyala, Eden Petri, Riley Pottinger, Priya Ray, Isabella Salvi, Lauren Scheller-Wolf, Cate Seay, Sarah Seay, Anzu Sekikawa, Alexa Selwood, Swathi Senthil, Kriti Shah, Makayla Shreve, Kavya Soman, JeanMarie Trichel, Mikayla Trost, Langley Turcsanyi, Molly Urbina, Anja Vogt, Becca Volk, Ziya Xu, and Natalie Young. Additionally, I want to convey my sincere appreciation to the faculty and staff of Carnegie Mellon University's Field Robotics Center, who have mentored the Girls of Steel since 2010. Because of their efforts, more young women can experience real-world technological challenges and learn from some of the nation's best at solving these problems. These experiences will certainly benefit these young women in the future. I look forward to hearing about their progress as they advance to the FIRST Championship in St. Louis--the final and largest competition of its kind, a.k.a. the Super Bowl of robotics. This will be their sixth consecutive trip in six years, and they will be competing against top teams from all over the world. I congratulate the Girls of Steel and wish them all continued success in their academic and professional endeavors.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my ranking member, Mr. Pallone, for the time. I rise in opposition to the SENSE Act. This bill, introduced by Congressman Rothfus from my home State, is an effort to help coal refuse plants, most of which are located in the State of Pennsylvania. Industry estimates that coal waste piles cover approximately 170,000 acres of Pennsylvania, left over from coal-mining operations that stopped decades ago. Coal refuse plants then turn this coal waste into a small portion of Pennsylvania's energy portfolio and play an important part in remediating and rehabilitating the environment. Left alone, these waste coal fields can pollute the groundwater and contaminate other water sources. They can also, if sparked by an ATV, lightning, or other occurrences, burn unabated and release dangerous pollutants at eye level. For years, these waste coal plants have provided an important service, turning environmental hazards into energy. Accordingly, they have enjoyed many years of bipartisan support in my home State. I want to say at the outset I appreciate what Mr. Rothfus is trying to do. This is an important issue in our State, and it needs to be addressed. The problem is it is his solution that I can't support. This bill seeks to make it easier for these plants to comply with two regulations, CSAPR and MATS. It does this not by funding new technology to make plants cleaner or more efficient, reducing costs of operation, or changing electricity contracts. Instead, what the SENSE Act does is two things. It fundamentally changes CSAPR by playing favorites with power sources and then rolls back important standards under MATS. By extending phase 1 implementation standards for SO2 for only these plants, but not increasing the overall cap, the SENSE Act prioritizes coal refuse plants over all other sources of electricity. All other sources in my home State have to make up for the extra credits coal refuse plants get to keep. This is bad policy and bad practice. You can't rob Peter to pay Paul in complying with regulations. The SENSE Act would significantly increase the proportion of SO2 credits allocated to coal refuse plants. I have seen estimates that the percentage of SO2 credits allocated to these plants would actually double. Again, all other plants in my State would then have to make up the difference. The SENSE Act also removes an important option provided to States under CSAPR: the ability to draft and submit their own compliance plan. At this point, our State has chosen not to take this option, but we shouldn't remove Pennsylvania's and other States' abilities to craft their own implementation plans. The SENSE Act just creates alternative implementation standards for coal refuse plants under MATS that are weaker on protecting our air. What comes next? I know we have implementation dates for NOX standards that could be tough across the coal industry in my own State. Are coal refuse plants going to come back and say they need another carveout, another exception? This just sets a bad precedent. But it is not just a bad precedent. It is a dangerous precedent. CSAPR and MATS protect the air we breath and help mitigate the impact that we have on our climate. If every single source of power was allowed to make exceptions to rules and regulations, we would be in deep trouble. There are coal refuse plants that burn both bituminous and anthracite waste coal that have said they will be able to comply with CSAPR and MATS. There are only 19 of these facilities in the entire country. Fourteen of them are in Pennsylvania, and five of those plants say they can comply with CSAPR and MATS as currently written. They may need to add some new technology and improve their processes, but that is the nature of the power industry in the 21st century. It is changing. We have to adapt. Bills that roll back or modify these regulations I just don't believe are the right way forward. I think there may be alternative ways forward on this tough issue. Like I said earlier, these plants provide an important environmental benefit to my home State, and I would like to see it continue. We should look at all available options, whether it is States drafting their own implementation plants, whether it is providing a tax credit for the processing of this coal based on its environmental benefit, incentivizing other plants to co-fire with waste coal, or adding new fuel sources at existing waste coal plants. I want to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to take a hard look at this and try to come up with a solution that we can all agree to because this is a critical issue. I want to thank my colleague from Pennsylvania for bringing much- needed attention to waste coal. I hope that we are able to work together on this issue in the future. But, for now, the SENSE Act is not the right solution to the problem, and I must oppose it.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Chairman, I just want to say to my friend from Pennsylvania that I agree with a lot of what he said as far as the value of these coal refuse sites. No one is debating that. Certainly I am not. This is almost a Pennsylvania exclusive piece of legislation given the fact that 14 of the 19 sites are in our State, and I believe about five of those can comply at this point. The problem I have with the gentleman's proposal is that when one takes emission credits and gives them to the coal refuse plants in excess of what they get, it is coming out of somebody else's allocation. In western Pennsylvania, where we are both from, most of our electricity is from coal-fired utilities. What one is doing, in effect, is taking those emission credits from other coal-fired utilities to give them to this small number of coal refuse plants, and that is going to cost others' margins on those utility sites. It will affect their margins because now they have to work harder to clean up their emissions because they don't have these credits because they have gone to the coal refuse plants. That is a big problem I see, especially in a State like ours that still has a lot of coal-fired electricity generation. I think there are better ways forward. I think we would be better served in our State to push our State legislature and the Governor's office, too, to come up with a State implementation plan that allows for some flexibility and takes into account what goes on at these plants, because this is primarily a Pennsylvania issue. As I said in my remarks before, there are other ways, I think, to solve this problem. Look, the President has issued a SAP. He is going to veto this bill. So this piece of legislation isn't going to become law. Yet I am not standing here to say that I think we should stop our efforts to do something to keep this resource, because it is cleaning up a lot of sites in Pennsylvania, and there is a benefit to the environment. There is a lot of water pollution potential for leaving these sites as they are. I want to work with the gentleman, and I say to him that, while this piece of legislation may not ever become law, I extend my offer to work with the gentleman in constructive ways, both with our Governor and State legislature, and in alternative ways to attack this problem that doesn't take emission credits from other coal-fired utilities in our State.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. I will not consume any more time after this. I don't want to play Chip and Dale with the gentleman all day. Mr. Chairman, let me just say that our President has been to Pittsburgh probably more than to any city in the country, and I have been with him many times when he has been there. I have walked on these sites, too. I have one up in Harmar Township. I have seen them. I know what the gentleman is talking about, and I think it is a problem we need to address. The SENSE Act is really a one-size-fits-all kind of solution, not current law. Current law gives States flexibility, and I think that is what is important. I would just say to my friend that this is a real problem and a real concern in our home State, and I reiterate my willingness to work with him on a solution.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove myself as a cosponsor of H.R. 546, the ACE Kids Act.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I recently learned that Suzanne Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks and a member of the organization's board, has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer Suzanne is taking a leave of absence from her work with Autism Speaks to focus on her medical care. In 2005, Suzanne and Bob Wright co-founded Autism Speaks after their grandson Christian was diagnosed with autism. Over the last ten years, Autism Speaks has become a world leader in educating people about autism spectrum disorder and advocating for individuals with autism. Since Autism Speaks' founding, Suzanne has led the organization's signature global awareness initiatives. She was instrumental in establishing April 2nd as World Autism Awareness Day by the United Nations, for example, and she launched the global Light It Up Blue campaign and established World Focus on Autism, Autism Speaks' annual meeting of First Ladies from around the globe. Suzanne has been a tireless advocate for autistic individuals and their families. She is known to countless families for her personal notes and generosity, as well as for her leadership and support of many Autism Speaks Walks around the country. I urge my colleagues to keep Suzanne in their thoughts and prayers and to continue to be motivated by her example.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the National Collegiate Honors Council for their 50th anniversary this year. The National Collegiate Honors Council represents 800 colleges and universities and is composed of 325,000 students dedicated to achieving educational excellence in diverse subject curriculum areas in order to achieve professional career goals. In my district, the National Collegiate Honors Council includes the University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University, Robert Morris University, and Point Park University. For instance, Point Park's Honors Program welcomes students from all disciplines who desire an enriched college experience. The program builds a community of scholars who have opportunities in three important areas; academics, community services, and leadership. Students participate in a learning process that encourages engagement, creativity, and imagination through honors sections of courses that include additional assignments and a rigorous curriculum. At the end of their degree programs, undergraduate honors students must submit thesis papers and special honors projects capping off their academic careers. Many of these gifted young people participate in Pittsburgh-oriented community projects and the annual Storytelling and Human Rights Symposium, providing their city with invaluable public service. The program also encourages membership in the Honors Student Organization, one of the most active clubs on campus, where members can hold prestigious leadership positions. Honors students also benefit from special housing opportunities, on-campus job opportunities, and enriching study abroad programs that include destinations like London and Rome. Point Park University deserves our recognition for giving its most motivated and gifted students the opportunity to fulfill their potential. The National Collegiate Honors Program, after decades of growth and experience, continues to dedicate itself to promoting educational excellence within our nation's colleges and universities while preparing students for successful professional careers. I invite my colleagues to join me in commending the program's outstanding contributions to our nation's educational and professional communities honoring its 50th anniversary.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this bill. I have been here in Congress for 21 years, and during that time, we always hear talk about we want to be energy-independent in the United States. My colleagues on both sides of the aisle always talk about the dream of energy independence, where we don't have to depend on any other country for our oil. It would change policy in the Middle East, and it would dramatically improve our national security. Well, the bad news is, Mr. Chairman, we are not energy-independent. We use 17 million barrels of oil a day, but we only produce 9 million, which means we are still importing nearly half of all the oil we use. Now, here is the good news, Mr. Chairman. Horizontal drilling and all this oil we are finding in the shale formations gives us a chance to be truly energy-independent. We could produce an additional 9 million barrels a day, and we wouldn't have to depend on any other country in the world for our oil. All we have to do is produce what we have in our own country and make sure that we have refinery capacity to take care of this light sweet crude, and we are energy-independent. So the question is, Mr. Chairman, why aren't we investing in our own domestic refinery capacity to keep high-paying jobs here in the United States in the refinery industry, in the maritime trades, and in manufacturing, like steelmaking? Why aren't we doing that for America while enhancing America's security? We had the former commander of the USS Cole, Kirk Lippold, testify before our committee. He highlighted ``the significant national security risks associated with greater oil imports.'' He said that ``too many times in recent history, the U.S. has made oil deals with hostile or unfriendly governments that actually threaten our foreign policy and our national security objectives. ``Lifting the export ban will undermine U.S. power projection capabilities by undermining the competitiveness of our U.S. refineries.'' Do we really want to undermine the U.S. military? And then we hear the story that, somehow, lifting this ban is going to help our European allies because it will reduce their dependence on Russian oil. Well, that is a myth, too. As Commander Lippold testified before our committee, ``the primary recipient of this U.S. exported oil is going to be Asia, specifically, China.'' So we want to export U.S. oil to China and still have to import oil from countries that aren't necessarily friendly to us. Why would we do that? Mr. Chairman, H.R. 702 is deeply flawed because it doesn't allow for any future oversight of oil exports under any circumstances. Even if there is an oil spike or a shortage, there is no ``safety valve'' to ensure that we have enough of this critical resource for our Armed Forces, our industries, and our constituents. In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, this bill undermines our national security, and we are still importing an incredible amount of oil. This just defies common sense, and we should reject it.