it's estimated that the public health burden from industrial pollution across appalachia runs at nearly $75 billion dollars a year. and while many in the coal industry and many politicians deny that the health fallout is real, health care providers on the ground have seen it daily. as a doctor in southern west virginia, daniel doyle often treats coalfield residents. one of the clinics he works at is just outside charleston, so he's also been seeing people who were impacted by january's chemical spill. >> it's a huge population cohort study and it will take us 10 20, 30 years - maybe longer - to know what the long term effects are. no question that it's an experiment, but mountaintop removal is an experiment. the water pollution that is taking place is an experiment. >> do you see the health consequences of mountain top removal on the people who live around it? >> definitely in the last eight years there's been a series of epidemiological studies finding clear association between mountain top removal and cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, birth defects, certain cancers and so there's

i represent much of appalachia ohio. that is home to many cold fired power plants and home to the hard-working taxpaying men and women who work in those facilities to provide for their families. these proud men and women produce the energy resources that are keeping the lights on and heating the homes of the majority of ohio homes during this cold winter. so can you tell us why energy rich ohio was excluded from the hearings the public hearings on epa's climate rules? >> as far as i know sir those hearings were strategically placed around the country to ensure that people could have access to attend those. >> it's interesting that they were strategically placed in places where coal-mining and cooperations don't exist. >> how many coalmines are in pittsburgh? i can tell you how many coalmines are in southeastern ohio and there are a number of them but we can fix this. i heard my colleague from iowa say that he invites you back to the iowa state fair. i would like to invite you to come to ohio. sit down and talk directly t

whether you grow up in ohio or east cleveland -- appalachia, ohio, or east cleveland, when you grow upn shaker heights or whether you grow up in a nasa went suburb or wherever you grow up, your life expectancy clearly -- an affluent suburb or wherever you grow up, your life expectancy clearly is connected to it. it obviously should not be that way in a country that is that rich. it is a state that is underinvested in public health. we are underinvested in early childhood education and in the kind of safety net that really does give people opportunity -- and so many low income people in our state pay for it every day. it is an economic, moral, and political issue. 63% of americans believe the u.s. economic system favors the wealthy. well over half of americans think the system think their government works more for wall street than it does for main street. when workers wages stagnate when they struggle to provide for their families, we have a moral problem. when people work hard and take responsibility and do the best they can, but when they believe the economy is rigged against them, we

whether you grow up in appalachia ohio or in east cleveland to poor inner-city suburb if you will weather you grow up in shaker heights or whether you grow up in an affluent suburb or where work you grew up your life expectancy clearly is determined in many ways quality of health care where they have a good education and social support that you have from the neighborhood organizations and all that. obviously it shouldn't be that way in a country that's rich. my state embarrassingly is 48th in the country in the mortality. its 50th or black infant mortality. we are not a poor state that we are a state that is under best in public health and underinvested in early childhood education and underinvested in the safety net that really does give people an opportunity. so many low income people in her state pay for it every day. it's an economic, moral and a political issue. a recent poll found that 63% of americans believe the u.s. economic system favors the wealthy so well over half of americans think the system think their government works more for wall street than it does for main street and

i represent appalachia ohio and i don't have to tell you folks, probably, how rural that is. i hear the horror stories, many of which you've just heard. i could cite similar cases that my colleague from west virginia mr. mckinley, did. mr. selman long before i was elected to congress i served 26 years in the air force and i was stationed in columbus, mississippi. and you know how rural that area is. so i've seen this for a long time. mr. gomez. does the gao track and can you tell us in regards to all urban and rural systems how many municipalities have their systems charged the true cost of providing water to their customers? in other words, how many of them are operating in the red? >> that's a really good question. and it's always one area that's debatable, right? whether people are actually paying the true price of what the water cost. i don't believe that we have done work on that. but if we have i'd have to get back to you on that. >> would you take a look at that, please? i think the american people would be interested to know how these small rural communities are strug

i was born in rural appalachia. i have seen poverty on a wholesale basis. literally pulled myself up from my bootstraps. as soon as i was old enough, i went into the service. i got myself situated around. i am a small business owner. i am not about to make $1 million, but i want to live comfortable. the harder i work, the more i get taxed. host: what do you want to see from members of congress? caller: we have been regulated to death. from the epa on down. they was giving us ecstatic about the runoff on our building. you know, i cannot control rainwater. there are two other issues i would like to ask you about. one is the 84 program and the other is section 5210 of the aca. guest: what about 5210 of the aca? caller: why do we need 20,000 troops? what does obama need with 20,000 troops? (202) 737-0002-- guest: what troops? caller: i have no idea. it gives him 25 troops to employ in the united states? guest: i don't have it in front of -- in front of me. what are you inferring? that there is a conspiracy here to put down the defenders of liberty? is that what

miers humanitarian award which recognizes individuals who've enriched appalachia through their extensive become a true mainstay within west virginia and will forever serve as a reminder of a man who lived to make his community and the mountain state a better place. a man who was an inspiring leader a selfless friend, a loving husband father and grandfather and so much more. he was a friend to all and i personally will always value his friendship and his guidance as would everybody who ever came in contact with mike perry. so i say farewell to my dear friend and god bless the state of west virginia and the perry family. thank you mr. president. and i notice the absence of a quorum. the presiding officer: the clerk will call the roll. quorum call: quorum call: