Ed Whitfield

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, today I join with my colleague, Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO-02) to introduce two important pieces of legislation, the EEOIPCA Amendment Act of 2011 and the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Improvement Act of 2011, which will help ensure former employees at certain Department of Energy sites receive the benefits and care they are due while also bringing transparency and oversight to the program charged with administering compensation. During the Cold War, thousands of workers employed in the nation's atomic weapons programs were exposed to radioactive and toxic substances. For this reason, Congress passed the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) in 2000 to provide compensation to employees who have become ill as a result of work at atomic weapons facilities. Individuals, or their eligible survivors, who worked as an employee, contractor, or subcontractor at certain Department of Energy facilities may be eligible for compensation in the form of lump sum payments and medical expenses. Yet all too often workers and surviving family members, such as those in my Congressional District, run into challenges when weaving through the federal government maze to claim the benefits they deserve. The EEOIPCA Amendment Act is based upon a recent study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on how best to improve the EEOICPA program. Specifically, this legislation will require the President to establish and appoint an advisory board on toxic substances and worker health responsible for overseeing a portion of the original EEOICPA legislation known as ``Part E.'' The Part E program provides eligible employees with compensation payments of up to $250,000, plus medical expenses for health conditions as a result of having been exposed to toxic substances while working for DOE. Further, the Ombudsman for the Department of Labor will be required to provide an annual report to Congress on the program and make the report available to the public online. The second bill we introduce today, the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Improvement Act of 2011, will amend Part E of the EEOICPA program to allow survivors of family members who file claims under Part E but who pass away before their claims are approved to receive the full benefit that would have been awarded to the claimant, rather than a lesser survivor's benefit. This bill will correct the sort of inequity in the case of a Kentucky resident who passed away from complications sustained while working for DOE and whose claim was approved just days after his death. The EEOIPCA Amendment Act of 2011 and the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Improvement Act of 2011 are two important pieces of legislation that will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of EEOICPA and, in turn, help ensure workers and their families receive just compensation in a timely manner. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting these two bills and to push for swift passage in the House.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about legislation I have introduced that will reinforce our Nation's commitment to combating prescription drug abuse by reauthorizing the National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Act, NASPER, for three additional years. On August 11, 2005, NASPER was signed into law to assist States in combating prescription drug abuse of controlled substances, through prescription drug monitoring programs, PDMPs. NASPER is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, HHS, and provides grants to States to establish and improve prescription drug monitoring programs. Just last week, the head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, ONDCP, Gil Kerlikowske, embarked on a three-day visit to Kentucky where he saw firsthand the significant problems with prescription pill abuse, an issue many in my district struggle with. It's estimated that 82 Kentuckians die each month as a result of overdoses. Nationwide there were more than 27,000 deaths from prescription drug overdoses in 2007, a number that has risen five-fold since 1990. These statistics are unacceptable and a testament that more must be done. While Kentucky has made great strides through its PDMP and collaboration between the public and private sector, illicit drugs continue to flow across our borders from States without PDMPs, such as Florida. Last Wednesday, law enforcement officials from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, conducted a massive raid in South Florida arresting 20, including five doctors, after a yearlong investigation involving trafficking of prescription pills. What's more concerning is the recent decision by the Governor of Florida to repeal funding for the creation of a PDMP approved by the State legislature in 2009. By reauthorizing the NASPER program we will ensure States have the support they need to address prescription drug abuse by making NASPER grants available for planning purposes as well as for ``establishing, improving, and maintaining'' their programs. Through these grants, States will be given resources to help prevent patients from doctor shopping and abusing prescription drugs. This also will help to ensure that appropriate law enforcement, regulatory and State professional licensing authorities have access to prescription history information for the purposes of investigating drug diversion and errant prescriber/ pharmacist prescribing and dispensing practices. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this vital piece of legislation and to push for swift passage in the House.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Chairman, I am wondering if the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson) would be willing to engage in a colloquy with me concerning the climate change provision in the bill.

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. WHITFIELD. I thank the gentleman. I do want to mention that the Committee on Energy and Commerce has released a discussion draft on exactly this same issue, called the Energy Tax Prevention Act, that would block EPA's global warming agenda under the Clean Air Act. The bill does not weaken the Clean Air Act, however. It would have no effect on the agency's ongoing efforts to deal with smog, soot, lead, mercury, and all the other pollutants that have been addressed under the Clean Air Act. It is simply a bill to stop the agency and bureaucrats from issuing regulations absent congressional approval. As our former chairman John Dingell said, avoiding the glorious mess is what we would be doing, because the Clean Air Act was never designed to regulate greenhouse gases. As it is, EPA's global warming regulatory agenda, which is just beginning to roll out, is so open-ended that it is already having a chilling effect on investment and job creation. The longer it moves forward, the more domestic manufacturing jobs will be forced overseas to countries not similarly burdened.

Mr. WHITFIELD. I thank the gentleman, and I do agree with you wholeheartedly. I might add that Congress and the U.S. Senate have specifically addressed this issue on three separate occasions, and on every one of those three occasions have said ``no'' to EPA regulation. I might also add that last week we had a hearing with Administrator Jackson, and Mr. Green, our colleague from Texas on the Democratic side, asked her a question. He said: My question is this. What happens if only the United States acts to reduce these emissions while major emitters like China or India do not take action, do not follow suit? Can we really address climate change without strong mandatory reductions by other major emitters around the world? And Ms. Jackson, the Administrator of the EPA, said: We will not ultimately be able to change the amount of CO2 that is accumulating in the atmosphere alone. So I would say, Mr. Chairman, that EPA's regulations will lead to higher costs for the coal industry, the oil industry, and natural gas industries that comprise 85 percent of America's energy mix, burdening both individuals and businesses and, most important of all, destroying jobs. So let me ask the gentleman. Is this a debate about global warming science?

Mr. WHITFIELD. I want to ask the gentleman, first of all, if he could explain section 1746 of the bill to me.

Mr. WHITFIELD. We have already had our first hearing, which was on February 9. We have heard from a wide range of industries about the job creation issue, and I expect that we will be moving this legislation within the next month and a half.

Mr. WHITFIELD. I yield to the gentleman from Idaho.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Madam Chairman, this amendment is very simple. We're going through this process, or the continuing resolution, and we're trying to reduce spending to help bring down the Federal debt, which is now around $14 trillion. I might also say that I would certainly want to commend Chairman Rogers, ranking member Norm Dicks, and Speaker Boehner for allowing unlimited amendments to this continuing resolution. It certainly is an open process. And it's my understanding that over 700 amendments were printed in the Record to give Members an opportunity to represent their districts and try to bring spending under control. And I might say, that's in direct contrast to when the health care bill was brought to the floor in the last Congress, a bill, 2,400 pages, that had direct impact on the health care throughout America--not one amendment was in order on the floor. So there certainly is a contrast here in the way we're proceeding with the people's business. But this amendment basically simply removes $1.5 million from the greening of the Capitol project. There was a total of about $7 million in this project. The project is basically over with, and there is approximately $1.5 million left. If we go on and eliminate the program now, that $1.5 million can be put directly to reducing the debt. Now, some people would say, well, my gosh, $7 million is not much money. But, back in March of 2009, I wrote a letter to the Architect of the Capitol because one of the parts of the Greening of the Capitol was to stop buying coal for the Capitol power plant. And when they stopped buying coal for the Capitol power plant, a coal mine in West Virginia that was providing that coal closed down and those jobs were lost. The Architect of the Capitol, in responding to my letter, also indicated that by switching away from coal, the annual cost to the taxpayers of America went up between $7 million and $8 million a year, and that's an ongoing expense. And that does not include the conversion that had to take place with the Capitol power plant, and we know that at least $1.5 million was spent on the conversion. We do not know what additional funds were spent, but the Architect of the Capitol said additional funds were spent. And I might add, there was never any discussion about this on the House floor. There was never any notice given to any of the Members about this. But it came about simply because Speaker Pelosi and Senate Leader Harry Reid wrote a letter to the Architect of the Capitol directing him to do so. So all we are doing with this amendment is trying to reduce our Federal debt by $1.5 million. The Greening of the Capitol program is basically over with. In fact, the only thing they are doing now, according to the information I have, is they are calling around to congressional district offices to go down there to see about buying more up-to-date light bulbs. So I would respectfully request that the Members support this amendment. House of Representatives, Washington, DC, March 4, 2009. Mr. Stephen Ayers, Acting Architect of the Capitol, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Ayers: There have been several articles written about the Capitol Power Plant in recent weeks and I have had several groups in my office lobbying to stop using coal at the plant. I would appreciate your providing me some basic facts about the plant. 1. When was it constructed, what was its initial cost, and when did it begin operations? 2. What was/is the rated electrical capacity of the plant? 3. How much coal was burned at the plant during its peak years of operation? 4. When was natural gas first used as a fuel in the plant, and what was the cost to convert the plant so that natural gas could be used? 5. What is the mix of fuel used today at the plant, in percentages? 6. What has been the additional cost or cost-saving associated with the use of a mix of natural gas and coal, instead of coal only? 7. What is the timeline for converting the plant to natural gas only, and what will be the cost of the conversion? 8. What is the projected additional cost or cost-saving over the next five years, by converting the plant to operate only on natural gas? 9. What type of coal is presently burned at the plant, and where is it produced? 10. Does the plant produce electricity, or only steam and cooled water for the Capitol complex? 11. If electricity is produced, what amount of income does the sale of the electricity produce annually? 12. If electricity is not produced, why not? 13. If electricity is not produced, what would it cost to convert the plant so that electricity could be produced and sold, and what would be the projected annual income from those sales? 14. What emissions controls are in place at the plant, when were they added, and at what cost? 15. Is the plant presently in compliance with federal Clean Air Act regulations? 16. If the plant is not in compliance with emissions limitations, what additional controls might be needed to continue to use coal or a mix of coal and natural gas, and what are the estimated capital costs of those additional controls? Thank you very much for your attention to this request. I will look forward to your response. Sincerely, Ed Whitfield, Member of Congress.

Mr. WHITFIELD. Madam Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted we have the opportunity today to revisit the health care bill that was passed last year. I am delighted because, first of all, when it came to the floor last year, this bill affected every aspect of health care in America, and we did not have the opportunity to offer one amendment on the floor. In addition to that, this bill takes $500 billion out of Medicare, which means less money to nursing homes, hospitals, and Medicare beneficiaries. Then the claim that this would reduce the deficit by $138 billion was calculated by including 10 years of tax revenues under this bill but only 6 years of expenditures. How can you claim that we are supporting insurance companies by repealing this bill when the insurance companies supported the bill, and they supported the bill because it mandates that small businesses and individuals buy health insurance? So I would urge the repeal of this legislation, and then we can fix health care the way it should be fixed.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 75th anniversary of the Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association. This Association was instrumental in reforming the flood and navigation system along the Mississippi River after the 1927 flood, which was one of the greatest peace-time disasters our nation has seen. This disaster wrecked the levee system and devastated over 12 million acres and drove 600,000 people from their homes. Losses were estimated at $400 million. A shining star in this disaster was the quick work of this Association by organizing a congressional tour at the height of the flood by special train and boats. This effort paved the way for legislation developing the Mississippi River and Tributaries Project to build a levee system to tame the Mississippi River's forces. Today, this levee system still protects hundreds of thousands of families from flooding and facilitates transportation in our inland water ways system. The Association still lives on under the great leadership of Mr. George Grugett. Mr. Grugett's career is an example for all of us to follow. He has served as the Executive Vice President of the Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association since 1980. During his service to this Association, he has successfully brought together Members of Congress, senior officials within the Army Corps of Engineers, and levee boards along the Mississippi River in order to promote and develop the flood and navigation system that is so important to our economy. I can confidently say that with Mr. Grugett's leadership we have made numerous strides in the areas of flood control and water navigation. I ask the entire House to join with me to commend Mr. Grugett for his leadership and dedication to this Association as it marks its 75th anniversary.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I want to thank the gentleman from New York for bringing this matter to the attention of the Congress, and specifically the Energy and Commerce Committee. As he said, with the economic downturn and with the dramatic increase in the price of gold, we see more and more people mailing their gold possessions in an envelope to these companies that are buying gold and then melting it down. It is a system that is ripe with the opportunity to defraud a lot of people. And this legislation, as the gentleman from New York stated, simply clarifies a number of issues. Number one, it makes it easier to determine whether or not a consumer is accepting the offer of the company that's buying the gold. It also provides these additional protections on the insurance, because as the gentleman from New York said, frequently the client, the consumer, did not really want to sell; and yet it probably was melted down, and they said, well, we mailed it back to you, but it was lost in the mail. So this is important legislation, provides additional consumer protections at a time when a lot of our consumers are particularly vulnerable to being taken advantage of. I want to commend the gentleman once again for his actions and urge the support of H.R. 4501. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey for introducing this important legislation. We anticipate that over the next 25 years, the demand for electricity in America is going to almost double. One of the ways, not the only way, but one of the ways that we are going to have to address this problem is to have consumer products that are more efficient, that use less electricity. That was certainly the purpose of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which sought to clarify requirements in the measurement of energy consumption in certain consumer devices. Some of the devices, however, that were not excluded in this legislation included security devices such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. When we have regulations to make products more efficient, it's always a balancing act. We want them to be more efficient, but we don't want them to have to be redone in such a way that it raises the price to the consumer and makes the manufacturer of that product less competitive in the global marketplace. This legislation, H.R. 5470, is designed to do particularly that, to exclude from this legislation of 2007 these security devices such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. This legislation is going to help clarify that, because we went to the Department of Energy and asked them to modify the requirements, and they refused, saying that they could issue a ruling only to modify regulations written by the Department, not amend a law passed by Congress. Mr. Pallone's legislation does expressly that. I would urge all of our Members to support it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the people of the Republic of Turkey in their celebration of their country's historic eighty-seventh anniversary and founding by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk on October 29. The anniversary is cause for us to pause and reflect upon the many accomplishments of the people of Turkey, most notably Turkish Republic founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's vision of a secular, pluralistic democracy. The United States and Turkey have invested a great deal of energy in cultivating a critical and robust bilateral relationship. Time and time again, Turkey has proven itself to be a strong ally in our fight against Islamic extremism, and a key supporter of our operations in Afghanistan. As the people of Turkey enter their eighty-eighth year, Ataturk's vision continues to ring true. I know my colleagues and fellow Americans share my sentiments in wishing the people and Government of the Republic of Turkey all the prosperity and opportunity of a bright democratic future.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor George Wilford Arnold for his lifelong contributions within his community. I wish to recognize his accomplishments by recalling some of his many achievements as an outstanding public servant. Mr. Arnold began his public service in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, and this service to his country and community continued throughout his life. Following his military service Mr. Arnold served on multiple boards as well as civic organizations that worked to improve the quality of life in the surrounding region. After many years of service he became a self-taught visionary seeking to improve the supply and the quality of water for his city, county, and region. This dedication to improving the people's quality of life led him to serve as chairman of the Logan/Todd Regional Water Commission from 1997 to 2003 and the executive director from 2003 to 2005. Mr. Arnold also served as the Mayor of Adairville for almost 20 years. During this time he was both trusted and respected for his commitment to the people. In his community and surrounding area, Mayor George Wilford Arnold was seen as an example of hard work and ingenuity. One of his greatest strengths was that he possessed an unwavering belief in the people he represented. His work and leadership are largely responsible for the advancements of drinkable water within the First Congressional District. Madam Speaker, Mayor George Wilford Arnold was an integral part of Kentucky's growth and advancement and it is an honor for me to bring to the attention of this House the achievements of this extraordinary gentleman. Although the death of Mayor Arnold is a great loss to our District, his work will live on in the many accomplishments we recognize here today.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the bicentennial celebration of the town of Burkesville, Kentucky. I wish to recognize the town of Burkesville's history and its cultural contribution to our country. Founded by Samuel Burkes, an early settler from Virginia, Burkesville has embodied small town virtues, patriotism, hard work, and the spirit of helping one's neighbor for just over 200 years. As a city on the border of Kentucky, Burkesville played an integral part in the American Civil War and the Cumberland River on the city's southern border served as a major natural barrier between opposing forces during the war. In the present day, the Cumberland River has provided the City of Burkesville an economic engine due to its excellent recreation and the tourism it provides. Also known for its tourism and bass fishing is the Dale Hollow Lake located just south of Burkesville. Within the great state of Kentucky Burkesville is seen as a place that shows the pure heart and true character of the United States. Everyone who has had the pleasure to set foot within the City's old fashioned town square, myself included, has been able to appreciate the history that this unique town represents. Madam Speaker, the City of Burkesville is an integral part of Kentucky's history and it is an honor for me to bring this great town to the attention of this House.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to voice my strong opposition to H. Res. 1631, a one-sided resolution that seeks to advance political interests under the guise of the protection of religious sites on the island of Cyprus. This resolution carries with it the potential to significantly damage relations between Turkish and Greek Cypriots at a time when reconciliation talks are at a critical stage. In fact, the United Nations special envoy for Cyprus expressed hope that, an agreement on the divided island could be brokered by the end of the year. In 2009, Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders took a tremendous step toward reconciliation with the formation of the Cultural Heritage Technical Committee, an organization tasked with the protection, preservation, and restoration of the rich cultural heritage of Cyprus. This committee has made enormous progress in identifying sites, located in both northern and southern Cyprus, which are suitable for restoration and protection. This committee has been one of the most successful vehicles yet created for fostering open dialogue and honest conversation between Greek and Turkish Cypriots on an issue of great importance to both communities. It would be unfortunate if actions by the U.S. Congress were to somehow unintentionally disrupt the progress that has been made so far to protect and restore precious artifacts and heritage sites. While I commend my colleagues for their desire to protect the rich cultural heritage of Cyprus, the two parties in this conflict are already working to correct the wrongs of the past. This resolution puts their hard work in jeopardy, and I urge Congress to play a peacemaking role, rather than take sides in a dispute.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this legislation, and I thank the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) and others who worked hard on this legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. I urge passage of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WHITFIELD. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise also in support of the Safe Drug Disposal Act, and certainly I want to thank Mr. Inslee for his leadership and Mr. Moran, Mr. Pallone, and many others. Two months ago, I was invited by Sheriff Carter of Allen County, Kentucky, to a meeting of concerned citizens in that little community, and what they wanted to talk about was prescription drug abuse. And not only is it a problem in Washington State; it's a problem in Kentucky, and it's a problem throughout this entire country. We are fortunate that many pharmacies, States, and localities have established prescription drug take-back programs; but, unfortunately, they are unable to take back controlled substances due to a technical reading of the Controlled Substances Act. This legislation will correct that and will allow a take-back program to also apply to controlled substances. And by passing this legislation, these programs will help further reduce the likelihood of prescription drugs being diverted to those to whom they were not prescribed. I'm delighted that we are bringing this legislation to the floor, and I look forward to its passage and would urge all of our Members to vote for it. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I also rise today in support of House Resolution 1433, expressing support for the designation of September 2010 as Blood Cancer Awareness Month. At this time I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones), who was the primary sponsor of this legislation and who has been a real leader on cancer awareness in the U.S. Congress.

Mr. WHITFIELD

Mr. WHITFIELD. I yield back the balance of my time.