I thank the Chair. I urge support for the ARENA Act, and I yield the floor. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Florida.

I wish to welcome some of West Virginia's most outstanding citizens to Washington. This week, as part of the fifth annual Always Free Honor Flight Program, we will recognize veterans from my home State for their dedicated commitment to our…

the stalling out or the length of time of the permitting creating so much uncertainty at a time when we have a critical need for new and improved and expanded infrastructure.

It is about creating timelines. It is not about running roughshod over any kind of environmental review or anything. It is just trying to move the process along to keep it from stalling out.

I want to start with Ms. Bowman. I would like to thank ANGA for supporting S. 1210, which is my bill, the permitting reform bill, that I introduced with Senators Cassidy and Heitkamp last week.

I think we should be looking at rural health as a way to expand the availability of residencies to fill this gap.

West Virginia has 20 critical access hospitals that each play a vital role in providing emergency healthcare services in their local communities.

One of the obstacles that I think all of us who live in rural States are combating every day is the lack of high-speed rural broadband access.

Well, I, certainly, would be very supportive of any kind of way--this could help solve more than just one problem here, if we were able to expand that and use it wisely.

This rule will have a devastating impact on our State, other coal producing States, electricity rate payers across the country and the reliability of our grid.

the proposed rule is clearly on shaky grounds

That response is unacceptable to me and to the people of my State.

I will not stand by and let the EPA force States to spend their resources in a manner that will harm local economies.

This proposal is legally unsound, and comes with a $479 billion compliance cost, will result in double digit electricity price increases in 43 States and has negligible environmental benefits.

I think the money needs to flow to the need, obviously.

Help me out here. How can we stop this? I mean, what are you doing in the department?

Our State just passed a State law to allow them to carry that.

So it is an honor for me to be here with you for the first hearing.

What is the rationale for this per grantee cap? Is this going to continue?

I am very concerned about that. By this time, the President and you will be gone, by the time 2017 comes along.

I look forward to seeing the report. Thank you.

I have always voted for expansions of it, because it is important in our State.

A robust 6-year highway program is something that I am very passionate about.

I would encourage or ask if there is any way we could like higher prioritize that.

Making this change really helps veterans across the country, and certainly in my State.