mr. yarmuth of kentucky. the chair: for how much time? >> three minutes. the chair: the gentleman from kentucky is recognized for three minutes. mr. yarmuth: thank you, mr. chairman. thank you, mr. holt, for yielding. this bottle is filled with water from a well near a mountain top removal mining site in eastern kentucky. in case you can't see it, the water is orange. this is what comes out of the taps in appalachian communities where the water is contaminated by dangerous mine waste, which fills their wells and flows through the streams in their yards. it's the result of an inadequate law that is failing to protect public health and safety near mountain top removal mining sites. but today, rather than examining ways to strengthen that law and begin to address the public health crisis that accompanies mountain top removal mining in appalachia, we're debating a bill that would make it worse. mining communities already have more instances of chronic disorders and hypertension, as well as higher mortality rates, lung cancer rates and instances of chronic hear

mr. yarmuth: request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman from kentucky is recognized for one minute. mr. yarmuth: madam speaker, during the past 40 years we have made tremendous progress in america. technologically, medically, socially, and for many of our citizens economically. but not if you're a family trying to get by on the minimum wage. in real value today's federal minimum wage is about 0% below the days when presidents ford and richard nixon, as american productivity has surged, the economic status of the american worker has weakened, and along with it the capacity of american consumers to continue driving our economy. even wal-mart executives have admitted an obvious cause an effect. when their employees can't afford to shop in their stores, profits will suffer. madam speaker, a fair minimum wage has the power to make work pay a little better, give families a shot at a stronger future, and grow our economy substantially. it is -- whereby american taxpayers must support low-w