Nick Rahall

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1311, introduced by our colleague from Nevada, Representative Shelley Berkley, authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to convey 80 acres of land in Las Vegas, Nevada, to the nonprofit Nevada Cancer Institute. The bill also authorizes a limited conveyance to the city of Las Vegas for the development of medical facilities affiliated with the cancer institute. I commend our colleague, Representative Berkley, for her leadership on this matter and her willingness to work with the committee to address a number of issues raised with the legislation. I support passage of H.R. 1311 and urge its adoption by the House. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3111) to provide for the administration of Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 845) recognizing the 60th anniversary of Everglades National Park, as amended.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 807) honoring the life of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, champion of the Florida Everglades and founder of Florida's environmental movement, as amended.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 816) to provide for the release of certain land from the Sunrise Mountain Instant Study Area in the State of Nevada and to grant a right-of-way across the released land for the construction and maintenance of a flood control project, as amended.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1143) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to lease certain lands in Virgin Islands National Park, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, an old mining song contains the powerful, but truthful verse: A miner's life is like a sailor, aboard a ship to cross the waves, Every day his life's in danger, still he ventures, being brave, Unlike you or me, a miner goes to work every day, knowing that he is placing his life in grave danger. A miner goes underground and works with thousands of tons of dirt and rock above him. He works every day knowing that he is surrounded by dangerous, potentially fatal gases. He works in conditions that many of us would never want to have to endure, that many of us cannot even imagine. I come from a coal mining State, where hardworking, God-fearing miners and their families have helped to forge a proud history and a culture guided by American values. Every minute a miner is at work, he knows that he is a spark or a slip of a tool away from eternity. He knows that with a spark or slip of a tool, he will not return home that night and never see his family again. Every minute a miner is at work, he faces gas explosions, equipment failure, roof falls, and fires. Still, as the song says, he ``ventures being brave.'' He must. Fatality rates in our Nation's coal fields once resembled the casualty lists from the battlefields when our Nation was at war. December 1907 is remembered in the coal fields as ``bloody December.'' On December 1, a gas explosion killed all 34 men in a mine in Fayette City, Pennsylvania. Five days later, 362 miners perished in the Monongah disaster in West Virginia--the worst industrial accident in American history. Ten days later, an explosion in Yolande, Alabama, killed 57 men. On December 19, Jacobs Creek, Pennsylvania, an explosion killed 239 miners. Laws, safety inspections, and better, safer equipment, thank God, have helped to reduce the casualty rates among our Nation's miners. But the tragedies in 2006 at Sago and Aracoma in West Virginia reminded Americans that mining is a dangerous profession. That, ``every day his life's in danger, still he ventures, being brave.'' While facing these enormous dangers, these hard-working, patriotic Americans have continued to produce the raw materials that fueled the Industrial Revolution, the energy that heated our homes, and the resources that ensured our security. Today, miners continue to produce for the betterment of all Americans. Madam Speaker, I am proud to join my colleague from West Virginia, Alan Mollohan, in offering this resolution that supports the goals and ideals of a National Miner's Day to celebrate and honor the contributions that miners have made to America throughout our history. It is a simple, yet very important way a grateful Nation can acknowledge these men and women who have done so much for us, and will continue to do even more throughout our future.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 47th Anniversary of the Peace Corps and in doing so, join many others around the Nation in celebrating National Peace Corps Week. Their mission is to help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women while helping to promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served, as well as, a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans. Since the establishment of the Peace Corps by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, more than 190,000 U.S. citizens have served their country in the cause of peace by living and working in 139 developing countries. As of September 30, 2007, 8,079 Peace Corps Volunteers are currently at 68 posts serving 74 countries. I am proud to say that two of those volunteers currently serving their country are from my district in West Virginia. Daniel J. Beck will finish up his 2 year's of service in Guinea this June, while Amelia Dulee-Kinsolving will return from Peru in September. Peace Corps volunteers have made significant and lasting contributions around the world in agriculture, business development, information technology, education, health and HIV/AIDS, youth and the environment. The 190,000 citizens, who have volunteered to serve their country since 1961, came from all walks of life and represent the best of what the United States has to offer. The work they have done over the past 47 years has played an important role in developing nations and continues to provide opportunities for people of different backgrounds to come together to serve the cause of peace.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer my deepest condolences on the passing of Congressman Tom Lantos, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and my respected colleague from California. As news spread on Monday of Chairman Lantos' passing at age 80 due to complications from cancer, a great sadness resonated throughout the House of Representatives and all of Washington. This House, the Nation, and especially the people of California have lost a great champion for human rights, a very personal cause of Representative Lantos. He was the only Holocaust survivor to ever be elected to Congress and his own experiences enlightened his service and enriched his service in this body. Throughout his 14 terms in the House of Representatives, Representative Lantos conducted himself with dignity, grace, and a passion for human rights. As co-chairman and founder of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, a group that highlights human rights violations worldwide, he was able to provide a platform and a voice for persecuted peoples around the globe. My thoughts and prayers go out to Representative Lantos' wife Annette, their two daughters, their 18 grandchildren, and two great- grandchildren in their time of mourning. It was an honor and a privilege to serve with Tom Lantos these last 28 years in the House of Representatives. I know that he will be remembered in the hearts of his family and friends for all the love and support he has given to them and so many others throughout the years.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of two counties in my district, Mercer and Monroe, which have again received the honor as two of the Nation's ``100 Best Communities for Youth 2008'' by the Alliance for Youth. This is the third such award for Mercer County and the second award for Monroe County, both of whom were also honored last year. These counties competed against 750 participants from more than 300 communities in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, who were all vying for this unique distinction. This award is well-deserved, as these communities have dedicated themselves to fostering a healthy, safe, and caring environment for our young people. I share this vision and am deeply honored to once again have the only two localities in West Virginia recognized located in my district. I pledge to continue my work to make the communities in the Third District a healthy and nurturing environment for our children, by supporting legislation and programs that will keep our children safe. Last year, I supported full funding of both the Drug Free Communities grant program and the Safe and Drug Free Schools Program against the budget cuts recommended by the administration. These programs make a visible difference in our communities and are invaluable when it comes to preventing and reducing substance abuse, particularly with our teenagers and young adults. While these programs are effective, it is by far not the end of our work. As the folks of Mercer and Monroe counties can attest, we must not waver from our commitment to our youth. As much as we accomplish, we must strive to do better. West Virginia native and renowned author Pearl S. Buck once said, ``If our American way of life fails the child, it fails us all.'' These are words to live by, words that Mercer and Monroe counties have once again proven they are living by everyday. I again commend the entire community--the teachers, the civic leaders, the parents, and the children as well, who are all so very bright--for the hard work they have done and continue to do. I encourage other communities in the Third District and across West Virginia and our Nation to follow the fine example set by Mercer and Monroe Counties in showing what it means to keep America's promise to our young people. As the Alliance for Youth said, ``It is our hope that these 100 Best inspire communities across the country to create environments where children and families have boundless opportunities.''

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1528, introduced by our friend and colleague, Representative John Olver. This is a straightforward bill which would enhance the protection and interpretation of a network of trails that have been in existence for more than 50 years. This trail system is extremely popular and is managed and maintained by an enthusiastic army of volunteers. The route that would be added to the National Trails System carries hikers through the heart of Massachusetts and Connecticut, past scenic vistas, unique geological formations, dinosaur footprints, and rare plants and animals. The trail provides recreation and relaxation for visitors from near and far, and valued open space for the many communities along the way. H.R. 1528 has strong, bipartisan support and is important not only to the people of Massachusetts and Connecticut but also to visitors from around the world wishing to experience the beauty of New England on foot. Given the popularity of the existing trail and the support for a federal designation, it is surprising that anyone would oppose H.R. 1528. In our view, such opposition is based on a misunderstanding of this legislation. In the first place, the bill is based on a National Park Service study that found no need--let me repeat--no need, for direct Federal trail ownership or direct Federal trail management. The trail will be managed by state and local groups under cooperative agreements with the National Park Service. Further, the bill itself expressly states, and I quote: ``The United States shall not acquire for the trail any land or interest in land without the consent of the owner.'' It is perfectly clear that this bill does not threaten property rights. In fact, the trails groups who have managed this trail network for half a century or more have gone out of their way to avoid those conflicts. There is no Federal land involved, and no Federal acquisition anticipated. I strongly support this bill, and I want to take this opportunity to thank the bill's sponsor, Representative Olver, for his hard work on the legislation, as well as his nine cosponsors from Connecticut and Massachusetts. In the end, this is about providing Federal recognition and support to local, non-profit, volunteer organizations who want nothing more than to help people take an enjoyable walk through the woods. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1528.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to introduce legislation to designate additional areas as wilderness within the Monongahela National Forest in our State of West Virginia. Joining me in this initiative are my West Virginia colleagues Representatives Shelley Moore Capito and Alan Mollohan. Our senior Senator, Robert C. Byrd, is fond of noting that: ``West Virginia is one of the most beautiful and unique places. It is the most southern of the northern and the most northern of the southern; the most eastern of the western and the most western of the eastern. It is where the East says good morning to the West, and where Yankee Doodle and Dixie kiss each other good night.'' Indeed, West Virginia is a most beautiful and unique place. And with the introduction of our legislation, ``Wild Monongahela: A National Legacy for West Virginia's Special Places,'' we are striving to keep it that way. This is about the heart and soul of West Virginia. Our southern mountains have been yielding their coal for generations and our northern ridge lines are being targeted by the merchants of wind power. More development is coming, and, in most cases, it is welcomed. But as West Virginians we are intimately connected to our land. Our roots are planted deep in our misty hollers and our majestic mountains. We know that we will be judged by future generations on our stewardship of this land that is West Virginia. And so I believe that it is of paramount importance that we, once again, set aside some of God's handiwork in our forests by preserving these Federal lands in their pristine state. We hunt these woods; we fish these streams. These few areas that we are proposing to conserve in their natural state represent a significant national resource. But more importantly to us, they constitute a fundamental right of West Virginians to retain a vital link to our heritage, and to know that, forever more, these lands will remain in their natural state as our Creator forged them. We cherish this as nothing less and nothing more than our birthright as West Virginians. By way of background, the Monongahela National Forest is comprised of over 919,000 acres of Federal land in 10 counties of the eastern portion of West Virginia. The forest is a major recreational resource for West Virginians as well as people from neighboring States, hosting approximately 3 million visitors annually. Currently, the forest has five federally designated wilderness areas comprising 78,041 acres: Otter Creek, Dolly Sods, Laurel Fork North and South, and the Cranberry Wilderness. As part of the revision of the Forest Plan completed in 2006, 18 roadless areas were inventoried and evaluated for their wilderness potential. As a result of this process, the West Virginia Delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives is proposing to designate seven of the evaluated areas as wilderness. Totaling 47,128 acres, three of the areas are additions to existing wilderness: the Cranberry Expansion in Webster and Pocahontas Counties, the Dolly Sods Expansion in Tucker County and the Dry Fork Expansion in Tucker County to the Otter Creek Wilderness. The other four are proposed new wilderness areas: Big Draft in Greenbrier County, Cheat Mountain in Randolph County, Roaring Plains West in Pendleton and Randolph Counties and Spice Run in Greenbrier and Pocahontas Counties. Under the new Land and Resource Management Plan for the Monongahela National Forest, all seven areas are now being managed essentially as wilderness. Cheat Mountain, the Cranberry Expansion, the Dry Fork addition to Otter Creek Wilderness and Roaring Plains West are under Management Prescription 5.1, Recommended Wilderness. Meanwhile, the Big Draft area, the Dolly Sods Expansion and the Spice Run area are under Management Prescription 6.2, Backcountry Recreation. This management prescription emphasizes a non-motorized setting with a largely natural environment and a lack of management-related disturbance. Before I describe the special attributes of the seven areas contained in our legislation, I would like to note the support this initiative has among working men and women in West Virginia. I am proud that the West Virginia AFL-CIO passed a resolution last October in support of additional wilderness in the Monongahela National Forest. Their resolution states that ``wilderness forest areas and the outdoor recreation, hunting and fishing they provide improve the quality of life for all West Virginians.'' The resolution further notes that ``protected wilderness helps diversify and stabilize economies by attracting and retaining business, residents, and a local workforce, in addition to generating travel and tourism, one of the fastest growing sectors of West Virginia.'' I am also proud that people of faith in West Virginia support additional wilderness. The Reverend Dennis Sparks, executive director of the West Virginia Council of Churches, wrote to me as follows: ``An area of federal land belonging to all Americans, the Monongahela National Forest can uniquely provide opportunities for reflection and inspiration that are becoming ever scarcer in our rapidly modernizing and developing world. We believe that carefully protecting this wonderful national forest and its wilderness-quality lands not only has a sound Biblical basis, but is also the best and most practical course of action for safeguarding the world which we will pass along to our children.'' Similarly, Bob Marshall, D.V.M., wrote: ``Like me, you were probably raised by parents who took you to church, where you learned many of the morals and ethics that guide your decisions today. I was taught to `Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself.' These words still speak to me today, and have led me to believe that West Virginia needs to preserve as much of our wild lands as possible, through the Wilderness proposal.'' This proposal also enjoys the support of various West Virginia chapters of Trout Unlimited. The vice president of the Mountaineer Chapter, Randy Kesling, wrote to me as follows: ``National Forest Wilderness Areas are the tap-roots into the landscape of our beginnings--the original forest. The U.S. Forest Service itself calls them `ecological anchors in a fragile landscape.' Today we are at another crossroad in the natural history of this great forest. This is in every sense a watershed moment--to set this fragile forest on the path to recovery.'' He concluded: ``The Mountaineer Chapter of Trout Unlimited believes that Wilderness Designation provides the best path to that recovery.'' Mr. Don Gasper, who worked for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources for many years, and who is a highly respected fish biologist, wrote: ``You lawmakers in Congress have an important opportunity right now to permanently protect some of the most special remaining wild places in the Monongahela National Forest.'' Many communities across West Virginia have registered their support for wilderness. The Honorable John Manchester, the mayor of the City of Lewisburg in Greenbrier County, and that city's Council, passed a resolution which in part states: ``wilderness forest areas encompass the development of rural communities as people are attracted to, or stay in, places that are clean, beautiful and where they have ample opportunities to connect with nature. . . .'' The Honorable Martin Saffer, a Pocahontas County Commissioner, wrote: ``I encourage you to take quick action to introduce legislation to protect some of our most special landscapes. This is truly a watershed moment. The time is now.'' In addition, the Fayette County Commission wrote in support, stating: ``Wildlands in the National Forest enhance our area's natural resource based tourism economy, increase the quality of life for Fayette County residents, protect our hunting and fishing lands, clean air, clean water, and protect the headwaters of some of Fayette County's rivers from disturbance, thus reducing the threats from flooding.'' The Greenbrier County Convention and Visitors Bureau wrote to me and specifically requested the inclusion of the Big Draft and Spice Run areas as wilderness. They noted: ``From the luxury of The Greenbrier Resort to the primitive Monongahela National Forest, visitors can choose their own unique experience while visiting Greenbrier County.'' The Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau has also weighed in, stating: ``We feel that designating additional wilderness areas will increase the strong economic base that outdoor recreation in Pocahontas County relies on. Benefits associated with designated wilderness are far reaching for the people of West Virginia, our wildlife populations and the land itself. Protecting our last few remaining wilderness areas will ensure that present and future generations can use and enjoy parts of the forest in their natural state.'' Following is a brief description of the seven areas the West Virginia Delegation propose to be designated as wilderness-- Big Draft: This 5,242-acre area in the southern tip of the forest is located about 5 miles from White Sulphur Springs, the home of the famed Greenbrier Resort. According to the Forest Service evaluation of the area, the primary vegetative type is oak and hickory with pockets of hemlock and white pine as well as black hickory and sassafras. The evaluation makes note of the area's ``natural untrammeled appearance, and natural ecological processes that are the primary factors affecting the area.'' Trout and small-mouth bass fishing is considered excellent. The area has also been popular for wilderness quality whitewater trips down Anthony Creek, and the trout and rock bass fishing is excellent. Cheat Mountain: Comprised of 7,955 acres, the area ranges in elevation from 3,000 to 3,800 feet and is a relatively flat forested plateau. The area is dissected by six streams flowing through rugged terrain dropping steeply to the river. According to the Forest Service evaluation, the vegetation consists of northern hardwood stands with some red spruce. It has a ``natural untrammeled appearance'' and ``the opportunity to experience remoteness is good.'' Special features of the area include the High Falls of the Cheat, which is a major waterfall, and a favorite destination for hikers and excursion train visitors. Cheat Mountain is a favorite of hunters and anglers. Cranberry Expansion: A proposed 12,032-acre addition to the highly popular Cranberry Wilderness, the expansion is located between the Williams River on the north and the Cranberry River on the south and west. According to the Forest Service evaluation, ``both natural integrity and appearance are considered high over much of the area . . .'' It contains an excellent trail system and is held in high esteem by hunters, anglers and hikers. The combination of the Cranberry Wilderness, Cranberry Backcountry and Cranberry Expansion would create the largest area of non-motorized recreational opportunities in West Virginia--a vast silent forest primeval. Dolly Sods Expansion: Another well-known and popular wilderness area, Dolly Sods, is proposed to be expanded by 7,215 acres to the north. Most of the area is a rolling plateau of over 3,800 feet in elevation. The Allegheny Front drops 2,200 feet on the east, just outside the proposed wilderness boundary. According to the Forest Service evaluation, ``the bog and heath eco-types are more typical of what one would expect to find in Maine or southern Canada rather than West Virginia.'' Views west from Cabin Mountain across the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge are outstanding. Dry Fork Expansion: This small 740-acre proposed expansion of the Otter Creek Wilderness area has a high natural integrity and appearance and is dominated by spruce at its higher elevations with a mixture of northern hardwoods. This area occupies the northern and eastern flanks of McGowan Mountain leading down to the Dry Fork of the Cheat River. It provides much of the scenic view for this popular river, which contains excellent whitewater recreation opportunities and trout fishing. Roaring Plains West: This 6,820-acre area located southwest of Dolly Sods ranges in elevation from 3,700 feet to over 4,700 feet and is, according to the Forest Service evaluation, minimally affected by outside forces. The Roaring Plains and Flatrock Plains areas encompassed by the proposed wilderness comprise the highest plateaus in the eastern United States. They are part of the geologic backbone of West Virginia called the Allegheny Front. The evaluation also notes it is remote backcountry, providing a good opportunity for solitude. Special features include an area known as Mt. Porte Crayon, with exceptional views. Spice Run: A proposed 7,124-acre new wilderness, this area rises from the Greenbrier River on its western boundary and is an extremely remote place primarily accessible from the river. There are no system trails within the area. The elevation ranges from 2,000 feet along the Greenbrier River to 3,284 feet on the top of Slab Camp Mountain. Spice Run, along with Davy Run and Kincaid Run, cut steep hollows which delineate the terrain. Spice Run is one of the most remote places in the State and provides excellent opportunities for solitude and backcountry recreation. In conclusion, I thank my colleagues in the West Virginia Delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives in joining with me to introduce this bill, ``Wild Monongahela: A National Legacy for West Virginia's Special Places.''

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, the New River Gorge National River in southern West Virginia was designated as a unit of the National Park System in 1978. At times referred to as the `Grand Canyon of the East' we in West Virginia refer to the Grand Canyon as the `New River Gorge of the West.' The national river is comprised of over 70,000 acres of mostly rugged terrain and is renowned as a destination for its world- class whitewater recreation, rock climbing and other outdoor activities. But it is also a place where generations of West Virginians have hunted and fished. Unfortunately, the ability to hunt in the gorge is now being drawn into question. As the Congressman from New River Country, today I am introducing legislation to ensure that hunting remains a purpose of the New River Gorge National River. I view it as a God given right for West Virginians to hunt in the New River Gorge. This area is not immune from activities such as housing developments that are placing a premium on lands where hunting by the general public may take place. Unfortunately, the National Park Service, as part of the development of a new general management plan for the park unit, has included a no hunting alternative. It is doing so because the legislation which established the New River Gorge National River states that hunting ``may'' be permitted. The enabling statute for the nearby Gauley River National Recreation Area, on the other hand, states that hunting ``shall'' be allowed. In fact, this is the case for the vast majority of the 62 units of the National Park System in which hunting is permitted. The bill I am introducing today simply changes the ``may'' to a ``shall'' in the law which established the New River Gorge National River. While there is no doubt in my mind that the current Superintendent of this park unit will do the right thing and allow hunting to continue in the final general management plan, this is too important of an issue to remain at the discretion of future managers of the park unit.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, West Virginia recently lost an outstanding daughter, Margarette Leach. Margarette passed away on December 23, 2007, but today I rise to celebrate a life well lived and to remember with fondness the accomplishments of a remarkable woman who, over her many years, was a torchbearer in the arenas of healthcare and politics in West Virginia. The unfortunate news of her passing has brought sadness to so many throughout West Virginia, including those who did not have the opportunity to meet Mrs. Leach but who have come to benefit from her passionate support for the field of healthcare. Margarette, a West Virginia native, was born in Goodwill, WV on December 4, 1926. She graduated from Beaver High School in 1944 and from St. Mary's School of Nursing in 1948. She would go on to dedicate her life to helping other by serving as a nurse and elected official for the next 60 years, 14 of which she spent as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates representing District 15. In April of last year, Delegate Leach was honored with The Center for Rural Health Development's 2007 Rural Health Leadership Award. The year 2007 would see another honor bestowed on Margarette, when the Prestera Center for Youth and Families was named after her. She pushed hard for the Merritt Creek connector from Interstate 64 to State Route 2 and helped to obtain funding for the Jenkins Plantation Museum and the Madie Carroll House. She also helped to bring the bronze statue of Carter G. Woodson to its current location in Huntington. In 2004, Margarette was named a West Virginia History Hero, but to those she diligently served over the years, she was already a hero many times over. She will be greatly missed by her family, in particular her husband of 58 years and their family, as well as, the community she served so faithfully over these many years. My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Margarette Leach. I join with West Virginians in honoring her remarkable life and the legacy she left behind.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and personally congratulate my dear friend, Mrs. Nita Gore of Huntington, WV, on her 80th birthday this Friday, January 18, 2008. Thomas Jefferson once said, ``None deserve better than those who contribute to the amelioration of that form (government).'' As a nurse at St. Mary's Hospital, a life-long Democrat, and member of Our Lady of Fatima Church, she has spent a lifetime serving the residents of Huntington. Her unwavering dedication to bettering the lives of others is very much appreciated by the people of southern West Virginia. In her amazing 80 years, she has been a devoted mother, wife, and friend. At the same time she has been a nurse, volunteer, and public servant and has endlessly battled for the betterment of southern West Virginia. I agree with Mr. Jefferson. None deserve better than Mrs. Gore. Mrs. Gore has spent many years encouraging others to become active in our government. She brings an irreplaceable enthusiasm to her community and the State of West Virginia. As her birthday approaches, I wish to thank my dear friend, Mrs. Nita Gore, for the extraordinary effort she has put into our State. Mrs. Nita Gore is a true pillar of the community, whose list of accomplishments far exceeds her years of service. Her devotion to her family and commitment to her community are examples to us all. Southern West Virginia is lucky to have her. I salute Mrs. Gore for her 80 years of friendship and service, thank her for the contributions she has made to the city of Huntington and southern West Virginia, and wish her the best of health and happiness in the years to come.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Chairman, I thank the distinguished chairman of the Education and Labor Committee for yielding me this time, and commend him for his career, lifelong service of dedication to our working men and women of this country. Chairman George Miller has certainly shown over his career in this body that there is no person that will take a second seat to him as far as protecting the health, safety, and well- being of our working men and women. Mr. Chairman, there are those who have argued on the other side that this measure, coming on the heels of major mine safety legislation in 2006, is too much too soon. They argue that the Mine Safety and Health Administration is struggling to fix numerous problems and must be allowed to implement one bill before additional legislative mandates are hefted upon them. Now, that argument has a valid point. And yes, the industry is making strides to improve safety, especially in my home State of West Virginia. But an equally valid argument can be made that the Congress should not simply sit back and hope that MSHA follows through on needed improvements. To do so would be to neglect our duty to serve as a check, and we must not return to the hands-off mentality that allowed MSHA to slip into its recent dismal state of decline. This legislation seeks to return to MSHA the business of protecting our Nation's miners, plain and simple. This should be our overall goal. MSHA has strayed too far from its mission, and the MINER Act did not touch some challenges that most agree need to be addressed. This bill supports a course correction that now is taking place. It sets a high bar because its purpose is the highest: the protection of the lives of our coal miners. And in this regard, we can never be too vigilant when it comes to protecting the health and safety and well-being of our Nation's coal miners. Most coal companies in my State work hard to ensure improved workplace safety, and they are making significant investment, for which they deserve commendation. Likewise, most of the employees of MSHA, including those in my home State, are well-intentioned, dedicated and hardworking. These individuals put their lives on the line to save other lives, and they should be recognized for that. As well, my home State of West Virginia, above all others, has taken the challenge of improving mine conditions seriously. But none of this excuses the management of MSHA from doing its job, and it certainly does not excuse the Federal legislative branch from its responsibility to ensure that the senior Federal agency charged with the safety of our coal miners fulfills its statutory mission. First and foremost, MSHA is supposed to inspect mines to ensure that they are abiding by the law to operate as safely as possible. That is its most fundamental job, its reason for existence. But yet, we found that MSHA last year failed to complete more than 40 percent of its required quarterly inspections in my own congressional district alone. That fact speaks most compellingly for the need for this legislation. This bill would address that deadly lack of inspections at mines in southern West Virginia. It aims to provide for badly needed increases in the ranks of highly trained inspectors, including bringing experienced retirees back into service and directing limited resources into the field where they are needed most. So given these conditions, Mr. Chairman, again I commend Chairman Miller and urge passage of this legislation.

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Chairman, I thank the distinguished chairman for yielding, and I rise in opposition to this Republican substitute. Pure and simple, the substitute kills the bill. It guts all of the bill's health and safety protections that the committee has worked so long and hard on and upon which the committee has heard expert testimony and heard testimony from our Nation's coal miners. So the fact that this legislation has been developed as it has shows that the committee has utmost in its consideration the protection of the health, safety and well-being of our Nation's coal miners. This Republican substitute requires a one-size-fits-all mandatory drug testing program, for example, with a national blacklist of miners. It creates company dominated safety committees to stifle miners' voices; whereas, the committee bill, crafted as well as it has been, does allow for all sides to be represented in these safety committee deliberations. That is most important, because it is important that these committees have the involvement of coal miners that are on the job working, those who know the mines and the particular features of each mine, because, as we all know, not all coal mines are structured in the same fashion. It is worthy to note as well that all of those that work in our Nation's mines, the United Mine Workers of America, the AFL, the Food and Commercial Workers, all of our Nation's unions that are concerned with the health and safety of our coal miners, oppose this Republican substitute amendment. So, as I conclude, I say to my colleagues, just remember, this is an effort to gut the bill, pure and simple, and we all know that this bill still has a process through which it has to travel, including the other body. And if the administration cannot see in its wisdom and compassion to sign the bill, then certainly we have a basis upon which to proceed for further safety measures in the next Congress. I would urge rejection of this Republican substitute.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3079, a bill which would extend U.S. immigration laws to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and also authorize a non-voting Delegate from the Northern Marianas to the U.S. House of Representatives. At the start of the 110th Congress, as the Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, I set out an agenda which included revisiting the CNMI's control and enforcement over immigration policy. Many in this House will recall that for at least two decades, our government and this Congress expressed our concerns with how immigration policy in the CNMI was envisioned and implemented. When the Northern Marianas was transitioned from being a trust territory of the United Nations to a U.S. territory under our stars and stripes, temporary control over immigration and minimum wage laws were placed in the hands of the new local government. This was done in light of their small, mostly indigenous, population and their undeveloped economy. Their control was never meant to be a permanent fixture of their government. Throughout the 1990s the CNMI economy grew by taking advantage of its control over immigration and wage policy. A garment industry, much of it owned by nationals of China, saw fit to make the CNMI their new home. In so doing, the industry was able to fill practically every position in their operations with a foreign worker at a minimal cost to their operations. In 2000, garment exports from the CNMI to the U.S. were estimated to be worth about $1 billion annually. To support this industry, the U.S. Census estimated the foreign guest worker population at 40,000 outnumbering the local population by at least 10,000 and because of lax protections of foreign guest workers under CNMI law many were subject to abuses by their employers. Much of this abuse had been documented by our national media, human rights organizations, and our Committee's former Chairman George Miller. In that decade of the 90s and into the 21st century, despite the clear need to reform the system in the CNMI, any attempts at extending U.S. immigration law or minimum wage laws were met with resistance in Congress. I loathe thinking that Members of this body would want such a system to flourish. Or that anyone would view what occurred in the CNMI as an economic experiment, grown in a ``petri dish'' because of the CNMI's distance and relative isolation from the U.S. mainland. Mr. Speaker, with the enactment of H.R. 3079, the dismal and degrading decade of the 90's will be put to rest--never to repeat itself again. H.R. 3079 would also authorize a non-voting Delegate from the CNMI to be a Member of the House of Representatives. In previous Congresses, similar legislation has passed the Natural Resources Committee more than once and with broad bipartisan support. This goodwill and collaboration has continued in this Congress with the inclusion of the Northern Mariana Island Delegate Act as Title II of H.R. 3079. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentle lady from the Virgin Islands, Mrs. Christensen, for her leadership throughout this process. As the chairman of Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, she took on this very complex issue at the start of this Congress. Her Subcommittee has been very active on this issue and made every attempt to address concerns raised by different interests in the CNMI before bringing this legislation to the Floor. I would also like to thank the leadership of the Judiciary Committee who collaborated with us on this legislation. We do appreciate their involvement with this bill and their constructive input as we prepared to have it considered under the suspension calendar. I support H.R. 3079 and urge its passage.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, on November 20, 1917, in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the world received Cornelius Calvin Sale. Born to a poor, struggling couple, the child was too soon taken from the arms of his loving mother, when she fell victim to the devastating influenza epidemic. The loss of his mother separated him from his siblings and from his father, a man with talented hands and an honest heart, when he was sent to live with an aunt and uncle in the coalfields of southern West Virginia. There his name was changed and so was the course of history for my State and our Nation. This November 20 marks the 90th birthday of Robert C. Byrd. He holds the title of the longest-serving Senator in the history of our Nation. He has held more leadership positions than any other Senator, has cast more rollcall votes than any other Senator, and served on a Senate committee longer than any other Senator. In fact, he has achieved so many records during his tenure of public service that the Guinness people could devote an entire book just to him. Here in the Congress, Robert C. Byrd has seen majorities come and go. He has occupied the suite of the Majority Leader and been banished to the Elba of the Appropriations wing. He has felt the sting of legislative defeat, relished in legislative victory. He has watched good men, full of hope, come to the Congress and build long successful careers in public service. He has seen many ambitious men leave public life, sometimes bitter and frustrated, sometimes drawn to the big paychecks of the private sector. Through it all, his love of the U.S. Senate and his faith in our constitutional form of government has never wavered. In both his public and private lives, he has been guided by the old values he learned growing up in the West Virginia hills, reading the Bible, and listening to his ``old Mom's'' prayers, offered up in dim lantern light. And he has been the most devoted of husbands. In fact, he remains so. Even after his dear Erma left this Earth to become an angel in Heaven, his love for her--true love--has endured and bolstered him in times of trial. So much has been written, so many speeches delivered, about the senior Senator from West Virginia, that it may be a fool's errand to even try to say anything about him that has not been repeated many times over. However, in anticipation of this special occasion, I choose to mention one particular thing for which the people of our State are most grateful to him--Robert C. Byrd has given us the gift of hope. From his youthful days of coal camp life in an era of depression, through his climb to the pinnacle of governmental power, Robert C. Byrd's life has been and remains an inspiration to me and to every man, woman, and child who has ever doubted themselves, or been afraid to try to overcome life's considerable challenges. He is our hero. Madam Speaker, I thank the Creator for Senator Byrd and all that he has done for this Nation. May he have the happiest of birthdays, and may he some day look back on his 90th year as just one notch on his way to scoring yet another amazing record.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, for each of us, there are a handful of moments in life that stay with us forever, moments that years later we can still recall with clarity and conviction. Moments that shook our core and move our hearts still. For the people of Huntington, West Virginia, a rainy evening in 1970 is one of those moments. On November 14th, 1970 the Marshall University football team, coaches and supporters were returning home from their game against East Carolina University when their plane crashed into a hill just short of the Tri-State Airport. All 75 people on board were killed. In an instant the lives of everyone at Marshall and within the community of Huntington were changed. Every November 14th, the Marshall University Student Government Association hosts a memorial ceremony to honor the victims of the crash by laying a wreath at the base of the Memorial Fountain in the center of Marshall's campus. This year marks the 37th anniversary of the plane crash. This annual ceremony draws together the families of those who died that night, as well as members of the community, the school and the football team, who attend the memorial service every year. At the end of each ceremony, the fountain is turned off until spring. The fountain was dedicated in 1972 in front of the Memorial Student Center. The 75 points of the sculpture represent each of the 75 lives lost that rainy night. Sculptor Harry Bertoia hoped that the fountain would ``commemorate the living--rather than death--on the waters of life, rising, receding, surging so as to express upward growth, immortality and eternality.'' A year ago this December, the movie ``We Are Marshall'' premiered across the Nation, telling the story of how Marshall University and this community rose from the ashes of tragedy. It told how the Young Thundering Herd found a way to keep the football program together in the fall of 1971 and gave the community of Huntington hope in one of its darkest hours. The team that suited up that year in green and white may not have had a winning season, but by taking the field every Saturday, the players and coaches taught us that it isn't just about winning, that sometimes it's about simply showing up and playing the game. The foundation laid by the Young Herd in 1971 paved the way for Marshall to become a football powerhouse during the 1990's and beyond. The legacy of the 1970 team lost in the crash and the team that took the field in 1971 is still with us today and is once again being honored with the ceremonial turning off of the Memorial Fountain. The bronze plaque on the fountain bears this simple, eloquent inscription: They shall live on in the hearts of their families and friends forever, and this memorial records their loss to the university and to the community. We will never forget the loss of those 75 lives on that hillside in 1970. We will continue to honor their memory every time the Thundering Herd takes the field and the stadium fills with the cheers of family and friends. We Are Marshall.