On the recordJune 29, 2012
I am extremely disappointed to be here today to discuss a provision in the conference report that impacts my home State and potentially impacts a number of other states. The provision relates to the abandoned mine land trust fund, and undoes a carefully construed compromise that occurred in 2006 between a coalition of Eastern and Western States, mine workers, and coal companies. This provision was included at the last moment. This pay-for was not in either the Senate version of the Transportation bill, nor was it in the House version. Although it has a tremendous impact on Wyoming, neither Senator Barrasso nor I were consulted about the impact of the provision. We are extremely disappointed that is the case and seek commitments from our colleagues to fix this provision hopefully as a technical correction, but at any rate not later than the end of the year to reconstruct the careful compromise that occurred in 2006. While I respect the work of the conference committee, provisions like this are the reason that Congress is unpopular. I look forward to working with my colleagues to undo this terrible provision and make Wyoming and other impacted states whole.
