Nick Rahall

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 592, the Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2013. This bill designates houses of worship as eligible private nonprofit organizations to receive Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to repair or rebuild after a disaster strikes. When most people think of disaster damage, they think of the physical damage that is often shown on television, that is, of downed trees, flooded streets and homes, snow piled high, et cetera. But for disaster survivors, the impact is often also emotionally traumatic. In some cases, survivors have lost loved ones or all of their worldly possessions. In these trying times, survivors often look to houses of worship for spiritual instruction, guidance, and counseling. The services provided by houses of worship are critical to survivors' full healing and recovery after a disaster. During and after disasters, houses of worship are there at a time when the emotional toll inflicted by a disaster is at its worst. While some may have concerns about providing any type of Federal assistance to houses of worship, some types of Federal assistance should be, and are, provided on a neutral basis. Funding provided to a broad class of entities for secular purposes such as government-funded and -sponsored police and firefighting assistance and protection and recovery from terrorist activities are such examples. Likewise, disaster assistance has been provided to religious institutions in the past. In 1995, after the Oklahoma City bombing, Congress approved funds for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that specifically allowed for the repair and reconstruction of houses of worship damaged by the bombing. In addition, under FEMA's current policy, funds are provided to repair or rebuild religiously affiliated private nonprofit organizations such as schools, nursing homes, food shelters, and daycare centers. Assisting with recovery from a disaster does not promote or establish religion. There is no intrinsically religious purpose in providing disaster assistance. This provision simply recognizes that houses of worship are one aspect of community recovery. This bill helps ensure that our communities fully recover physically, emotionally, and mentally after a disaster. I urge my colleagues to join in supporting this bill. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?

Mr. RAHALL. Thank you. I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler). (Mr. NADLER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. RAHALL. I yield the gentleman an additional minute.

Mr. RAHALL. How much time do I have remaining, please, Madam Speaker?

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, the gentlewoman is making such a persuasive case, I yield her all the balance of my time.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 219, the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act of 2013. This bipartisan bill would improve how the Federal Government helps state, tribal and local communities respond to and recover from disasters by expediting the delivery of Federal assistance. The provisions will have an immediate impact in helping to expedite recovery in those areas that suffered damage from Hurricane Sandy and will help all communities that may experience future disasters. We must continue to improve our disaster response programs to ensure that timely assistance is provided to individuals in need. At my request, this bill would require, within one year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to review and update its criteria for issuing Individual Assistance, in order to clarify the eligibility requirements, expedite the Federal government's decision-making process, and minimize bureaucratic delays. Last year, the State of West Virginia received four Presidential disaster declarations, the last two in response to Hurricane Sandy and Derecho Storms. In both cases, West Virginians had to endure extended and widespread power outages, lasting weeks in some cases, as well as physical damage to their homes and businesses. The emotional trauma was severe with some areas were literally cut off from basic necessities like food, water, and medicine. These disasters proved costly and expensive and dwarfed the limited means of individuals, many of them seniors on fixed incomes who have been pummeled by multiple storms, to absorb uninsured costs on their own. In both cases, FEMA denied my State's initial request for Individual Assistance, forcing the State to redo its damage assessments and appeal FEMA's decision. FEMA later reversed itself and awarded Individual Assistance to some, but not all, of the requesting West Virginia counties in regard to the Derecho Storm; so far, the appeal related to Sandy is still pending. These delays leave uninsured disaster victims in limbo for weeks, unable to begin home repairs because they do not know what costs are reimbursable. State emergency officials need better guidance from FEMA about eligibility criteria for Individual Assistance, so that these delays can be avoided. Similarly, the criteria must be flexible enough to ensure that the Individual Assistance program accomplishes what it was created to do, which is to make financial assistance for uninsured losses available to families and individuals unable to recover on their own. Another important provision of this bill is one that recognizes tribal sovereignty by authorizing all federally recognized Indian tribes to directly request that the President declare a disaster or emergency. This provision is based on a bill, H.R. 1953, that I introduced last Congress after consulting with Indian country and Indian organizations. It would treat all federally recognized Indian tribes as the sovereign governments that they are and creates a mechanism that affords all tribes the option to request a disaster declaration when a State in which they are located fails to do so. This important measure is necessary because current law limits FEMA's ability to work directly with all Indian tribes when major disasters or emergency situations occurred. This language would improve federal emergency response and recovery efforts on Indian reservations and would amend the Stafford Act to align with the Federal Government's trust responsibilities. For more than a decade, tribal governments have sought this authorization to work directly with FEMA on emergency and disaster declarations from the President. My bill, and this provision, is supported by Indian Country and the Administration without qualification. I appreciate the manner in which this bipartisan bill was developed and look forward to working with my Republican colleagues on other issues in a similar manner. I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Thank you, Mr. Latham. I appreciate your yielding, and do want to join today in paying tribute to the illustrious career of a colleague, a very good friend, the gentleman--and I mean gentleman in every sense of the word--the gentleman from Iowa, Mr. Leonard Boswell. As the ranking member on the Surface Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on which Mr. Boswell has served, I can tell you that his expertise in so many issues that we've already heard discussed today have been critical to us in passing much-needed legislation. Much has been said already, but not enough can be said to say thank you to Leonard Boswell for his serving our country as he has in the U.S. Army, to have risen, like he did, from private to lieutenant colonel. To have run as many missions as he did as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam and to have won two Distinguished Flying Crosses is something that this Nation can never say thank you enough for what Leonard Boswell has done, even before he came to the illustrious Halls of the U.S. Congress. In the real world, Leonard Boswell has truly combined a midwestern farmer's common sense with practical, everyday living. And it has been that experience that has proven so invaluable to us on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, his work to draft critical legislation. As a pilot, Leonard Boswell knows very well the tremendous issues facing our aviation community, and he served on that Subcommittee on Aviation for each of his 16 years in this body. And during the hearings and markups, Leonard often spoke about the critical importance of aviation safety and as an advocate for his fellow general aviation pilots. It was for that reason that Leonard received an appointment to the conference committee that wrote the FAA bill that we passed last year. He served as a conferee, providing very valuable firsthand experience about what some of the irresponsible cuts being proposed at the time in FAA funding would have meant. And it's thanks to his deep, deep knowledge of these issues that we were able to get what we did, and that we were truly on the right side of this fight and came out in what circumstances at the time would call a true victory for our side. As a strong advocate of veterans, of independent truckers, and agriculture interests, Leonard Boswell brought that same experience to us as a conferee when we considered the MAC 21 transportation legislation of last year as well. It was his amendment that was offered in committee that ended up in the final legislation that gave veterans preference for jobs with highway and transit contractors, again, putting his past experience to work, ensuring that our veterans, after they have put their life on the line for our country, that they have a job to come back home to when they return home. And in addition, he's one of the few members of our Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure who has a commercial driver's license. Leonard Boswell knows very well the very intricate, the very complex and critical issues involved in motor carrier safety regulations. And he put that experience, along with his agriculture experience, to tremendous work for our colleagues. I know that on our Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, when Leonard Boswell spoke, every member listened. You could hear the conversations, the side bars, the side conversations stop, and everybody listened to what Leonard had to say when he spoke on our committee. He played an instrumental role in the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative, establishing a new Amtrak route between Chicago, the Quad Cities, and Iowa City. This $30 million project will be completed in 2015 and is creating more than 500 family-wage jobs each year. And that's just the start. Whether Mr. Boswell's been advocating for high-speed rail or for ethanol pipeline, he's always been focused on what is best for Iowa and for the transportation needs of this Nation. He's been an invaluable resource to our committee. I know we will miss him speaking on the committee, but we certainly will look forward to continuing to profit from his experiences and advice to us in whatever capacity he may follow in his many years left. I would note that, again, before I conclude, as has already been noted, that it is the gentleman from Iowa that beat Mr. Boswell that is bringing this Special Order today. And I think that is worth special recognition, as well, because it shows the greatness of both of these individuals, how they can fight a very hard battle, political battle, yet both remain true gentlemen. I would even submit that, in this day of critical fiscal cliff negotiations, that if Mr. Latham and Mr. Boswell were conducting negotiations, we'd be going home for Christmas by sundown today.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. I thank the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding me the time, and I join with our Democratic leader and with the Speaker of the House in supporting the pending measure. Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill, otherwise known as Tip, was first elected to represent the 11th Congressional District of Massachusetts in 1952, and he continued to serve for 17 terms. During his 34 years in Congress, he served as a chair of the Select Committee on Campaign Expenditures, majority whip, majority leader and, finally, Speaker of the House. Speaker O'Neill holds a special place in my own congressional career because when I was sworn in at the beginning of my first term in Congress in 1977, it was also Tip's first year as Speaker of this body. He held that post for a decade, making him the second-longest-tenured Speaker in the history of the House of Representatives. Now, there is a litany of legislative accomplishments that could be described as defining the career of Thomas P. O'Neill. However, his most remarkable guidepost was his dedication to Federal programs that addressed the needs of the poor, the middle class, the sick, the fallen, and our working men and women across this great country. Speaker O'Neill was an unabashed supporter of the New Deal and believed that the government had the ability and the responsibility to provide for those in need. And he championed programs like public education, Social Security, unemployment insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and Supplemental Security Income for low-income people with disabilities. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Part of his success in protecting and growing these programs was Speaker O'Neill's talent in forging political consensus--we've heard that described already--his superb political instincts, and being a pragmatic deal-maker which allowed him to take on the day-to-day responsibilities of holding his caucus together while advancing his commitment to liberalism. We've heard the Speaker reference Speaker O'Neill and his popular saying that ``all politics is local.'' And believe you me, that was my first bit of advice in coming to this body; and it's the advice that, to this very day, I've taken to heed. He had over 50 years of combined public service to both the Massachusetts State House and our House of Representatives, a true public servant in every sense of the word. So because of this and his dedicated service, I am sure that my colleagues will join in a bipartisan round of support for the naming of this Federal building after Thomas P. ``Tip'' O'Neill.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of S. 1956, a bill to protect America's airline workers, passengers, and airlines from an Emissions Trading Scheme by the European Union that flies in the face of the international community. In my view, the EU's proposed Emissions Trading Scheme is inconsistent with international aviation law and practice. Additionally, airlines and labor groups oppose it because it will impose new and unjustified costs on the industry and destroy American jobs. Rather than solving a serious global problem, the Emissions Trading Scheme has created an international distraction. Along with 35 Democratic and Republican colleagues, I was pleased to cosponsor a similar bill last year. As I said when the House passed the bill, reducing the aviation emissions is a goal worth pursuing. I do not think anyone disagrees on that. But the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme, when applied to U.S. airlines, is the wrong way to achieve the right objective. It goes against international law and agreements, and it brings the hand of European regulators into our own airspace. The EU's go-it-alone approach is not the way to find a global solution to a global problem. A large part of the international community rejects the EU's approach. The United States has joined more than 20 other countries in signing two declarations pointing out the many fatal flaws in the Emissions Trading Scheme, and calling on EU members to rejoin ongoing work within the International Civil Aviation Organization. European leaders appear to be getting the message. Just yesterday, EU officials announced a one-year suspension of ETS application to international flights as long as a global deal is reached. But Congress must enact this bill regardless, to send a strong message to the EU that whether the International Aviation Organization is able to act on the EU's timetable or not, the EU's unilateral scheme is not the proper way to solve a global problem. This bill will protect U.S. airlines and all those who rely on them for travel and employment from the unjust effects of the Emissions Trading Scheme. This bill directs the Secretary of Transportation to prohibit U.S. airlines from participating in the Emissions Trading Scheme if the Secretary finds that it is in the public interest. The bill also encourages the government to continue negotiating with the EU on a resolution, and it prohibits use of the Airport and Aviation Trust Fund, or any appropriated funds, to pay penalties to EU countries on behalf of airlines. It ensures that American taxpayers will not end up paying the bill for a counterproductive emissions scheme that causes more problems than it solves. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the distinguished ranking member on the Energy and Commerce Committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman).

Mr. RAHALL. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman I'm going to yield to now may be departing the Congress after this session; but we will still value his professionalism, his expertise, and certainly his friendship for the very near and distant future. I'm happy to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Costello), the once chairman and now ranking member of our Aviation Subcommittee on Transportation.

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. In conclusion, let me again reiterate the support that this legislation has from the Air Line Pilots Association, the Airports Council International, the American Society of Travel Agents, the Transportation Trades Department, the AFL-CIO, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Travel Association, and the Independent Pilots Association, among many other groups that have sent a ``dear colleague'' to all of us. To reiterate what I said in my opening comments, the European Union's ETS will do nothing to decrease aviation emissions. The solution to decreasing aviation emissions lies in an international agreement currently progressing through the International Civil Aviation Organization that is slated for consideration October 2013 at that body's triennial assembly. With that, I urge my colleagues to support the pending legislation and commend Chairman Mica and Subcommittee Chairman Petri and our Ranking Member Costello for all of the hard work that they have put into this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to share with our colleagues a very significant anniversary being celebrated this year by the good people of Mullens, West Virginia. It was 100 years ago that the City of Mullens was incorporated. Throughout the year, families and local businesses have been celebrating this centennial milestone achievement. Known as the Dogwood City, the city's Annual Dogwood Festival draws families and friends from all over to share in nature's beauty with the blooming of so many dogwood trees throughout the area. The refreshing little spring blooms bring forth new hope and the promise of a new season. This is a message well received in this town that has truly known boom times as well as some bad times. Like the strong dense wood of the little dogwood tree, the people of this American small town are resilient and find strength in tradition and the deep roots their families have established in this home among Appalachia's majestic mountains. And like the finely grained wood of the dogwood, when it is finished and polished, the beauty ingrained in these good neighbors shines through to all who are touched by their many kindnesses. For anyone who happens by their fair city will find hospitality, friendliness and lending a helping hand are the rule not the exception. The roots of Mullens' contributions though extend well beyond its city limits. The citizens of Mullens are rightfully proud of their heritage as a rail and coal center to help fuel this Nation's energy needs. Hard work, determination and a boundless optimism that one's children will have a brighter future are the core values of the families that daily recognize the many blessings flowing from the benevolent hand of the Almighty. As Mullens continues its centennial celebration this year, I am honored to be invited to participate in Mullens Centennial Parade this Saturday. It is a fine example of how successful this community is in bringing townspeople together to spread the word far and wide that Mullens, West Virginia is looking forward to its next 100 years.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of the Stop the War on Coal Act, or as I prefer to call it, the ``Defense of Coal Miners Jobs Act.'' It has already been made clear on this floor that America's coal industry is under siege. Coal companies themselves have been very upfront about the chief source of their troubles, their lost revenues, mine closures, and layoffs. According to coal company officials and their own corporate financial statements, the biggest factor negatively affecting coal of late has been economic--involving declining demand in metallurgical coal, softness in the thermal coal market, a slowdown in the worldwide economy, milder than expected weather, and the resulting growth in coal stockpiles--all, of course, amplified by the low cost of natural gas. But when these factors began to evolve, already darkly looming over coal were the ever-tightening constrictions of the Clean Water Act--that regulatory perpetual motion machine from which rule after rule has rolled out with no regard for the condition of the economy or the effect those regulations would have on the livelihoods of American families. Meanwhile, long-running legal skirmishes--lawsuit on top of lawsuit-- challenging coal mine permitting in my home State had, for decades, unfairly and inhumanely left coal miners and their families constantly looking over their shoulders, waiting to be told that their mine was shutting down and their paychecks were stopping. And then along came the current EPA leadership and what may be the most flagrantly offensive tactic aimed squarely at undoing coal. This agency has singled out what I believe it saw as a politically expendable region of the country and imposed a wholly new permitting regime. This EPA has run roughshod over my State and others in central Appalachia to impose its own ideological agenda. It usurped the legal authorities of other Federal agencies. It brazenly misused and abused its regulatory powers to put a stranglehold on coal mine permitting in these States. This is not just my assessment; this is the assessment of the courts, which found: The EPA has overstepped its statutory authority under the Clean Water Act and infringed on the authority afforded by law to the States. I know quite possibly better than anyone else on this floor today how the regulatory arm of the government can wreak havoc on the people we represent. I know because the real front lines of this war are not here in Washington; they run through the hills and hollows of southern West Virginia, throughout our coal fields, through our very vein. The true soldiers in this war are our coal miners, who simply want to do their jobs. They want to earn an honest living and decent benefits for themselves and their families. Now, I've been proud to stand in this body for over three decades, to stand in the trenches and fight with our coal miners, and I'm not about to break ranks with them one iota. In defense of our coal miners, along with Chairman Mica of our Transportation Committee and myself, we drafted H.R. 2018, the Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act, which is a key part of this bill we consider today, as Chairman Gibbs knows well and has been helpful with as well. I have, as well, supported the other measures that comprise this legislation when they passed the House as stand-alone bills, with the exception of the base bill to which they have been attached, as it has not been considered on the floor on its own. I stand here now on this floor in support of this bill to once again defend our coal miners and their families in my State of West Virginia. Coal miners have risen up against their government before--just look at the history. They've marched on Washington before; we've heard their voices. If this EPA continues to turn a blind eye to the law to impose its anti-coal views, if it continues to unlawfully mess with our miners to cut off their paychecks and cut short their dreams, then I have a message for the EPA from the folks back home: You've not heard the last from us. You've not heard the last at all. American workers want to work. Jobs are hard to come by these days. This government ought not to be a party to eliminating the ones that still exist. So in defense of our coal miners' jobs, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Chairman, let me just say that the bottom line is that the coal industry, as do all industries, needs regulatory stability. As the only sitting Member of this body who was a conferee on the bill which became SMCRA--the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act--I well recall that our goal back in 1977, when that legislation passed, was to create a dovetailing between coal production and environmental protection. My own State of West Virginia at that time was--and still is--a leader in surface mine reclamation. Our industry was doing the job. Indeed, under SMCRA, we almost achieved that goal until recent years, when an activist EPA sought to usurp all authorities of other agencies--be it the Corps of Engineers or the Office of Surface Mining under the Department of the Interior. SMCRA should run the permitting process. Water quality permits should then follow, not vice versa. So, again, I urge support of this bill. And I point to how we have been able to do it in West Virginia--effectively reclaim our land, provide jobs for our people, and have an environmentally sound environment in which our people are proud and in which jobs are provided--and good-paying jobs, I might add--for the people of West Virginia and all of our Appalachian States. So I would urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, since this nation's earliest beginnings, America's navel defense has played an integral, essential role in the survival, sustenance and ultimate prosperity of this country. From our French ally's blockade during the Battle at Yorktown to our unparalleled command of the seven seas today to maintain peace abroad and here at home, the men and women of the United States Navy continue to serve and defend in a long and proud tradition. Perhaps no greater service in size and scope has been witnessed in our nation's remarkable naval history than that of our Pacific Fleet in World War II. The Pacific theater of war on the high seas and islands called for extraordinary men and women of the highest caliber and perseverance. Today, it is my great privilege and honor to recognize the crew of one ship in the Pacific Fleet, which made an immortal mark in naval history and the preservation of liberty. The crew members of the USS West Virginia will gather one more time, perhaps for the last time, in my State of West Virginia at the end of September this year. West Virginians welcome these sons of our namesake ship. Since at least 1955, they have met in reunion, to warm old friendships and forge new ones. They bring their wives and enjoy venues around the country, though we know the upcoming West Virginia reunion will hold a particularly warm place in their hearts. They revel in the ``Wee Vee's'' history and those who served aboard her. They enjoy swapping stories still fresh in their now well-seasoned memories. But beyond the camaraderie, the chance to flesh out new histories of their venerable voyages and ensuing battles, and the opportunity to trip the light fantastic once more with an inviting dinner dance, there is an ancient noble cause these brave American souls continue to answer with humility, dignity and honor. They continue their commitment to serve our nation by recording and sharing their legacy aboard the USS West Virginia on their website and in their newsletters, thus illuminating lessons for ensuing generations who can certainly benefit from them tremendously. Through the decades, what has become a labor of love for their membership is, in truth, the life blood of our Republic for the rest of us. If only we will listen and learn. I ask my colleagues and countrymen to visit their web page at www.usswestvirginia.org to witness the first-hand accounts of the life aboard the West Virginia--the guts and glory, the courage and valor of battles exhibited by those who served aboard this ship. A ship that was resurrected from the depths of Pearl Harbor to serve in the battles at Midway, Leyte Gulf, Surigao Straits, Mindoro Island, Lingayen Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Today, as a nation, we commend these distinguished seamen, these dedicated sailors for their service and their sacrifice and that of their fallen brothers in battle and over the decades. Let their experiences guide our purpose and path as we face the future. Mr. Speaker, where would this nation be without such men as these? We humbly thank the Almighty for sharing them with us. I am happy to report that on September 30th, the USS West Virginia reunion will travel to my hometown of Beckley, West Virginia, to witness a true wonder of American Naval history. They will tour the Raleigh County Veterans Museum and inspect a magnificent, half-ton scale model of the USS West Virginia. The replica's master designer, architect and builder is none other than our own, Jim Toler, who has dedicated seventeen years of his time and talent to complete this unique homage to a ship and its sailors. Jim's outstanding service and dedication in preserving our veterans' heritage stand as a sterling monument in its own right. We are truly blessed by his many good works on behalf of so many others. Mr. Speaker, I close with lyrics adopted for the Naval Hymn. They reflect the prayers of a grateful nation for those of our greatest generation, who once and forever more serve a ship named, the West Virginia: ``O Father, King of earth and sea, We dedicate this ship to thee. In faith we send her on her way; In faith to thee we humbly pray: O hear from heaven our sailor's cry And watch and guard her from on high! ``And when at length her course is run, Her work for home and country done, Of all the souls that in her sailed Let not one life in thee have failed; But hear from heaven our sailor's cry, And grant eternal life on high!''

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the work of a local radio station in the heart of the coalfields of southern West Virginia. This year, WVOW Radio celebrates 60 years of excellence in journalism and service to the greater Logan County area and beyond. In 1954, Mr. Bill Becker, an attorney, and his lovely wife, Mrs. Martha Jane Becker, an educator, took on the management of a struggling two-year old AM radio station in Logan County. Not only did they take on the management of the station, but they put their heart and soul into the daily operation of this station, often adding their personal touches to the programming, advertisements, and live-remotes. In fact, many of my constituents can fondly recall WVOW's annual Christmas programming, ``Santa Claus'', in which Bill and Martha Jane added their very own personal touch. You see, in rural West Virginia, our local media, especially local radio, play a critical role in our communities. Yes, they are known for their music, sports, and commercials, but more importantly, and maybe less noticed, is the invaluable service this station has provided to its listeners in literally saving lives. For instance, when an earthen dam broke in the Buffalo Creek area of Logan County in February of 1972, WVOW was the first to warn nearby residents to evacuate their homes immediately, undoubtedly saving countless lives from the wake of destruction that loomed near. Also, during this summer's widespread derecho and heat wave that swept through my Congressional District, WVOW was a victim of the mass power outages that we all experienced. However, they knew they had the obligation to their listeners to get back on the air and pass along critical, potentially life-saving, information. Through their hard work and sheer determination, the station was able to get back on the air and provide the much needed information to their audiences. While these are just two examples of the essential role WVOW has played in our communities through their history, there are countless other stories of how, through news coverage and public service announcements, they have kept citizens informed and helped raise public consciousness on a variety of quality of life issues. In an era where mega media corporations are chasing the all-mighty dollar, WVOW has remained steadfast to Bill and Martha Jane Becker's philosophy--first aired 60 years ago--a rock solid commitment to always serve their even-more-all-mighty listeners, first and foremost. I ask that my colleagues join me today in wishing a Happy 60th Birthday to WVOW Radio in Logan, West Virginia, and to extend our best wishes to their dedicated and talented staff for 60 more productive and blessed years!

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct honor to rise and salute my friend and colleague, the distinguished gentleman from Illinois' 12th district, Jerry Costello, as he prepares to conclude 24 years of service to his country and the people of southern Illinois as a Member of the House of Representatives. I have worked with Jerry regularly over the years on a number of bills and issues, but he and I collaborated especially closely these past two years on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure as we worked to pass a long-term Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill. And at every juncture, I never failed to be impressed by his earnest and apparent desire to do right by his constituents and the American people. Jerry first came to Congress as a freshman Member of the Illinois Delegation after his election in 1988, but, even before he took the oath of office, he had already distinguished himself as a faithful public servant of the people of Illinois through his service in the state court system and then as chief executive of one of Illinois' largest counties. Jerry came to Congress--and this was apparent to me from some of my earliest collaboration with him--with a strong sense of duty to his constituents and to the public at large. For 24 years, this has been reflected in the strong spirit of bipartisanship in which Jerry works with our colleagues across the aisle. He finds compromises where others cannot. Whether working with Jerry to advance clean coal or to make our aviation system safer and stronger, I always got the sense he was practically an expert in the subject matter. And, indeed, he was. In 2007, he was instrumental in helping write and secure House passage of a $68 billion FAA reauthorization. He worked to pass the bill again in 2009, and he negotiated tirelessly with the other body to enact a final bill before the clock ran out last Congress. Moreover, in the aftermath of the tragic crash of Colgan Flight 3407 in 2009, Jerry wrote and worked in a bipartisan manner to pass an airline safety bill that called for the strongest aviation safety improvements in more than 40 years. The bill made sweeping airline safety and pilot training reforms that have made the traveling public safer. Jerry's vision, knowledge, and leadership resulted in those reforms becoming law. This Congress, Jerry and I worked very closely as we negotiated with our House and Senate colleagues on a long-term FAA bill. Before that process began, there were probably some who thought ``slots'' are something you might find in Vegas or Atlantic City. But Jerry would patiently explain the other type of ``slots'' that loomed large over the FAA bill: slots for airlines to fly to Washington National Airport. Explaining slots--or any complex aviation issue, for that matter--Jerry would boil down years of legislation, rulemaking, and airline mergers and bankruptcies into a few simple words that reflect his good Midwestern common sense. When Jerry retires at the end of this Congress, we will lose the benefit of his institutional memory, his knowledge of aviation issues from top to bottom, and his bipartisan approach to solving problems and finding common ground. I have no doubt that Jerry's family--his wife, Georgia, his daughter and two sons, and his eight grandchildren--are looking forward to having him closer to home for longer periods of time. On behalf of my colleagues, I would like to thank them for sharing Jerry with us for these 24 years. His good work has made a tremendous difference not only for the people of his district, but for every American who flies, drives, or takes a train in this country. Mr. Speaker, with great admiration, I salute my friend as he prepares to retire from this body, and I join with my colleagues in extending to him every best wish in his future endeavors.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge legislative action on a widespread public health crisis. I want to thank, first of all, my colleagues, especially my good neighbor and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, the gentleman from Kentucky, Mr. Hal Rogers, Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack, and Congressmen Steve Lynch and Bill Keating--whom you'll hear from in a moment--all tremendous leaders in our fight to stop this epidemic. The CDC has confirmed what local leaders and professionals across the board have been struggling with daily: prescription drug abuse is a national epidemic--a term the CDC does not use lightly. It is no longer a silent epidemic. It can be seen at any hour of any day on street corners and in school yards. Every day, there are new stories reporting overdoses, deaths, accidents, and tragedies of families torn apart by the vicious cycle of prescription drug abuse. And the cycle is certainly vicious. Unlike cocaine or heroin, prescription drugs are legal and frequently prescribed by caring physicians who are led by the principle oath of ``first do no harm.'' Yet, alarming statistics show that children and adults are blind to the harmful consequences of these drugs even as they become addicted, paying upwards of $150 per pill to buy them on the black market. Distressingly, my home State of West Virginia has our Nation's highest rate of drug-related deaths. In fact, between 2001 and 2008, more than 9 out of 10 of those deaths involved prescription drugs. Incredibly, drug overdoses now kill more West Virginians each year than do car accidents. But the alarming use and deaths by prescription drugs is not just in West Virginia. As other distinguished Members will tell you, prescription drug abuse hits everyone, whether you're 9 or 90, whether you're rich or poor, living in big cities or small towns, whether you're Democrat, Independent, Republican, or whatever, anywhere in our great United States. We know there is no one single answer, no single action, and no silver bullet in the fight against prescription drug abuse. I've met many times with law enforcement, community organizations, educators, physicians, and many other constituents, and I know that fighting back against prescription drug abuse will take the work of an entire village. We must strengthen drug diversion, educate children and adults on prevention, work with the medical community on addiction and pain treatment, and treat and rehabilitate those affected by vicious addiction before they succumb to the death spiral. I and my distinguished colleagues have put forth and supported legislation that aims to combat prescription drug abuse. We know that something more must be done from a Federal level, and that's why I've introduced H.R. 1925, the Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. This bill would implement multiple measures essential to combating prescription drug abuse, education and training, monitoring, evaluation and enforcement, and it provides a good guideline to coordinate Federal, State, and local efforts to fight this epidemic. The bill establishes mandatory physician and consumer education and authorizes Federal funding to help our States create and maintain prescription drug monitoring programs that all States can access. It would also set up a uniform system for tracking painkiller-related deaths, helping States and law enforcement professionals manage and report data. The West Virginia State Police, our State's attorney general, and even physicians have all consistently stressed the need for access to a prescription drug monitoring system that is shared between State lines and updated in real time. I know my colleagues have authored and supported similar bills, like H.R. 2119, the Ryan Creedon Act, which also seeks to implement targeted physician education on prescription drug abuse and addiction, and H.R. 1065, the Pill Mill Crackdown Act, which would help further eradicate pill mills throughout our Nation. These bills address critical issues that ought to be part of this Congress' effort to craft legislation to assist our States and communities in combating prescription drug abuse. The toll of destruction and devastation heaped upon America's families and our economy by this epidemic demands that U.S. Congress must act, and act swiftly. So I urge my colleagues to move forward and bring legislation to the floor that will enable our communities to fight back against prescription drug abuse. Let us act with dispatch and compassion and with an acute understanding of the enormity of the challenge before us. The future of our families and children and the entire health and well-being of local communities and our Nation depend on us.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, thirty years ago today, a young woman joined my Congressional Staff to help serve our fellow West Virginians in the midst of our State's rich coalfields. She hailed from the community of Holden and still resides there near her parents' home. Though she was very young, she had a burning passion to help people. And so she has, by the hundreds, nay thousands, over the decades working from her home base in my Logan District Office. For years, once a week, she did outreach work, bringing the constituent services of this Member of Congress to the good people of Mingo County. Working from the Mingo County seat of government in Williamson, she keeps me abreast of the important issues confronting the citizens of the Tug River Valley, the demarcation line of the famed Hatfield and McCoy Feud. To say she is a seasoned expert in agency process, procedure and practice is an understatement. She knows constituent casework inside and out. More importantly, Mr. Speaker, she knows the families of the coalfields, where they came from and where most of them are headed. She knows this because she cares, cares deeply that people are treated justly, and that justice is meted in a timely manner. She can scrap the varnish off truth faster and cleaner than anyone I know, whether you want her to or not. In the office she laughs with family members when things go right for them, and at home in the evening, she sheds tears for them when they are troubled. Indeed her passion still burns brightly, though now through these many years, it takes on the golden hue of seasoned compassion. She knows just the right thing to say to put people at ease. Not the art of politics, just working the Golden Rule, overtime. In these past thirty years, she has stuck with the people of southern West Virginia, through floods, blizzards and now a derecho. Her loyalty knows no bounds, even by Mother Nature's standards. Those in West Virginia's Third Congressional District and I are indeed fortunate to have Debrina Taylor Workman on our side because when the need arises, she can be a force of nature all by herself. Members of Congress are indeed blessed with godsends like Debrina to help us serve. While we don't say it often enough, we are thankful for their many sacrifices on our and the good people we represent behalves. Please join me in thanking Debrina for thirty years of service to her country and its families. May the good Lord's blessings continue to shine upon Debrina, her son, Jordan, and her many friends and family.

Mr. RAHALL

Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As with health care in the aftermath of yesterday's landmark Supreme Court decision, it's now time to move forward and put the divisiveness which has plagued the enactment of a surface transportation reauthorization bill for the first time in decades behind us and coalesce in support of the pending conference agreement. This bill makes a sound investment in America. Fifty-six years ago, a Democratic Congress and a Republican President came together. And on this day in 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law the Federal-Aid Highway Act, which established the interstate system of highways. This historic piece of legislation created a transportation system in this country that awed the world. Yet in recent decades, our roads, bridges, trains, and transit systems have slipped into decline because we have failed to make the necessary investments to improve the condition and performance of this network. The pending legislation will not completely reverse the course of this decline, but, at the very least, States will see no reduction in the infrastructure investment funding that they desperately need to tackle crumbling roadways, deficient bridges, and to secure rail- highway grade crossings. The States and transportation contractors will have the ability to count on a stable source of funding through fiscal year 2014, sustaining and creating jobs, and enhancing the mobility and safety of American motorists. Critical investments in transit will continue, reducing traffic congestion. And alternative means of transportation will continue to be a valued enterprise in which to invest, increasing the quality of life and the health of the American people. To be sure, there are some glaring shortcomings: The transit privatization provisions threaten service, not enhance it; The environmental streamlining provisions shortchange public input and could very well lead to greater delays in project delivery; The Buy America provision is lethargic compared to the bold and decisive strokes that I advocated; The mandate to install black boxes on commercial motor vehicles will come at great cost to struggling independent business people, without any proven safety benefits; and There's an ill-advised provision that has no business in this legislation, which harms our maritime industry by weakening our cargo preference laws. When all is said and done, though, this bill is what it is. As with so much legislation in this body, this conference agreement-- this one, in particular--means jobs, and it means that we will not have further layoffs. It means that we will continue to move our economy. And when all is said and done, I will choose to vote for American jobs any day. Mr. Speaker, before reserving the balance of my time, I ask unanimous consent that time on this side be temporarily managed by Mr. DeFazio of Oregon.

Mr. RAHALL. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I'm happy to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished ranking member on our Railroads Subcommittee and a valued member of our conference, the gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Brown).