Newsletter: 7/24/15

Statement

Coal Ash Protections Pass House

Coal ash is an unavoidable by-product of burning coal. Across 49 states, Americans burn coal and create 140 million tons of coal ash annually. Properly disposing of this material is an important environmental protection.

It is also important we continue to recycle nearly 40% of the nation's coal ash into every day products -- such as drywall, roofing materials, fertilizer, concrete, and bricks. This week the House passed my bill to protect jobs that rely on coal ash recycling while ensuring safe and responsible disposal as well.

Why We Fight Against the War on Coal

West Virginians are suffering. This week, we learned West Virginia has the worst unemployment rate in the entire country.

This high unemployment rate and lack of jobs are a direct result of the burdensome regulations of the War on Coal. Just look at the statistics -- when President Obama was elected, West Virginia was tied for 7th in unemployment. But after seven years of relentless hostility towards coal and, more recently, natural gas, West Virginia is ranked dead last. That's outrageous.

If the President's goal was to show how regulations can destroy our economy, then mission accomplished. I will not stop fighting for West Virginia families because they cannot afford four more years of the War on Coal.

The Law Applies to All

Yesterday, the House passed H.R. 3009, The Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act. It cuts off specific federal grants for "sanctuary cities" that ignore federal immigration law and threaten the safety of their communities.

We should not reward cities that disobey the law. If San Francisco enforced the law, Kate Steinle would not have been murdered by an illegal alien who had been arrested multiple times.

We must secure our border and improve our immigration system - not turn a blind eye to lawbreakers.

Another Week, Another Abhorrent Planned Parenthood Video

On Tuesday, another video was released highlighting the disgusting practice of Planned Parenthood selling the organs, heads, and vital tissues of aborted babies. In this video, a Planned Parenthood executive haggles over the price of these baby parts, explaining that she "want[s] to buy a Lamborghini," with the profits.

This cannot continue, and it certainly shouldn't be funded with taxpayer dollars. This week, I joined 136 of my colleagues in co-sponsoring legislation to defund Planned Parenthood. In addition to stopping the flow of money, the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, of which I am a vice-chairman, has begun an investigation of Planned Parenthood's practices.

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