[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 105 (Thursday, July 30, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1473-E1474]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT CLINTON, VICE PRESIDENT GORE AND THE OHIO 
                        CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ROBERT W. NEY

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 29, 1998

  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to submit this open letter on 
behalf of many associations and federations from the state of Ohio:

       We respectfully and urgently request you to reject efforts 
     to accept the United Nations treaty signed in Rio de Janeiro, 
     Brazil and further revised in Kyoto, Japan that deals with 
     greenhouse gas emissions.
       Acceptance of this treaty would bind the U.S. to restrict 
     fossil fuels (coal, natural gas and petroleum) use which 
     together provide 80% of America's energy, while exempting 2.5 
     billion people in foreign countries from these reductions. 
     These reductions will greatly force up the price of coal, 
     natural gas, gasoline and electricity. Ohioans' cost for each 
     of these necessities could rise by roughly 50% by 2010.
       The result will be anti-family; as families are forced to 
     pay much more for the basic necessity of electricity, anti-
     farm; as the cost of farming and supplies soar, anti-jobs; as 
     56,000 Ohio-based jobs are lost, many going to the exempted 
     foreign countries. All of this will devastate Americans and 
     Ohioans in particular. Economic estimates suggest by the year 
     2010, Ohioans will pay $350 more for every man, woman and 
     child in our state. This means we will together annually pay 
     $3.8 billion dollars more to heat our homes, run a business, 
     or care for our loved ones. This will be especially harsh and 
     unfair to Ohio seniors, the poor and others.
       Global warming warrants thoughtful study but it does not 
     make sense to strangle 80% of America's energy foundation 
     while over half the world's population is exempted for this 
     treaty's reach. Ohioans deserve better than this.
       Please don't force Ohio families, seniors, those on the 
     edge of poverty, our farmers and businesses to be saddled 
     with this United Nations treaty.
         Joel Hastings, Director of Local Affairs, Ohio Farm 
           Bureau Federation, Columbus--192,000 members; Kelly 
           McGivern, Director of Environment and Health Care 
           Policy, Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Columbus--5,000 
           members; John C. Mahaney, Jr., President, Ohio Council 
           of Retail Merchants, Columbus--3,000+ members; Alon 
           Apel, Director of Government Affairs, Ohio Pharmacists 
           Association, Dublin--4,000 members; Tom King, Executive 
           Vice President, Ohio Trucking Association, Columbus--
           1,000 members; Sherry Weisgarber, Managing Director, 
           Ohio Aggregates Association, Columbus--197 members; 
           Ruth Ann Wilson, Executive Secretary, Ohio Assoc. of 
           Meat Processors, Delaware--500 members; Gary A. 
           Murdock, President, Ohio Valley Automotive Aftermarket 
           Association, Hilliard--1,000 members; Roger P. Jones, 
           President, Ohio Ready Mixed, Concrete Association, 
           Columbus--210

[[Page E1474]]

           members companies; Michael H. Cochran, Executive 
           Director, Ohio Twp Assoc., Columbus--8,600 members; 
           Holly Saelens, Director--Public Policy Services, The 
           Ohio Manufacturers' Association, Columbus; Sheila 
           Adams, President/CEO, Urban League of Greater 
           Cincinnati, Cincinnati--700 members; Bernard Shoemaker, 
           President (Master), Ohio State Grange, Columbus--17,000 
           members; Bryan Bucklew, Director-Governmental Affairs, 
           Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, Dayton--3,350 members; 
           C. Clark Street, Executive Vice President, Ohio 
           Contractors Association, Columbus--585 members; James 
           H. Lee, Executive Director, Ohio Forestry Association, 
           Columbus; Susie Calhoon, Executive Director, Ohio 
           Soybean Council, Columbus--1,500 members; Jack 
           Heavenridge, Executive Vice President, Ohio Poultry 
           Association, Columbus--200 members
         David M. Kelly, General Manager, Ohio Potato Growers 
           Association; Tim Williams, Executive Vice President, 
           Ohio Manufactured Housing Association, Dublin--500 
           members; David L. Kahler, Executive Vice President/CEO, 
           Ohio Equipment Distributors Association, Dublin, 121 
           members/2,420 employees; Michael L. Wagner, Executive 
           Director, Ohio Corn Growers Association, Marion--1,800 
           members; Jim Silvania, Executive Director, Ohio 
           Association Security & Investigative Services, 
           Columbus--33,000 members; John R. Langhirt, President, 
           Mid-Ohio Electric Co., Columbus; Carmine J. Torio, 
           Executive Vice President, Home Builders Association of 
           Great Akron, 750 member Companies, 10,0000 employees; 
           Robert D. Horne, President, United Steel Workers of 
           America, Local 5L--Akron, 175 members; Daniel L. Neff, 
           Executive Director, Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments 
           Association, Cambridge, serves a 10 county area; Judy 
           R. Bastian, President, Ohio Glass Association, 
           Cleveland--250 members; Roger Tedrick, Secretary/
           Treasurer, Ohio Dairy Farmers Federation, Gahanna--
           1,000 members; Robert T. Lambert, Executive Vice 
           President, Ohio Auto and Truck Recyclers Association, 
           Columbus; Donald L. Buckley, President/Secretary, 
           Midwest Dairy Foods Association, Inc., Columbus--52 
           companies; Amira F. Gohara, Vice President for Academic 
           Affairs, Medical College of Ohio at Toledo, Toledo--
           3,400 members; Peggy J. Smith, Executive Director, Ohio 
           Chemical Council, Columbus--100 members; Patricia R. 
           Cooksey, President, True Blue Patriots, Cincinnati--
           10,000 members; Thomas L. Hart, Executive Director, The 
           Building Industry Association of Central Ohio, 
           Columbus--1,226 members; Richard Greenwalt, Camp 
           Secretary, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War-
           McClellen Camp, No. 91--Alliance;
          Joseph Divito, Financial Secretary & Treasurer, Iron 
           Workers Local Union No. 172, Columbus--723 members; Sue 
           Yang, Program Coordinator, International Community 
           Empowerment Project A.S.I.A., Inc., Akron--50 families 
           served; Rochelle Peoples, Director of Volunteers, 
           Habitat for Humanity of Greater Akron, Akron--100 
           volunteer members; Carole Richards, President, Creative 
           Education Institute, Chagrin Falls--50 people served; 
           Mike P. Reilly, President-Elect, Cincinnati Master 
           Plumbers Assoc., Cincinnati--80 contractors; W. Paul 
           Kilway, Jr., M.D., Summit County Medical Society, 
           Akron, 460 members; David L. Kahler, Executive Vice 
           President/CEO, Ohio-Michigan Equipment Dealer 
           Association, Dublin, 865 members/14,272 employees; 
           Edward Tumulty, Regional Director, Precast/Prestressed 
           Concrete Institute, Central Region Columbus; Russell K. 
           Tippett, Dean, School of Natural Resources, Hocking 
           College, Nelsonville; Randy Smith, Financial Secretary, 
           Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastic and Allied Workers 
           Local 7A, Tiffin--573 members; Margaret F. Planton, 
           Mayor, City of Chillicothe, 270 employees; Bill 
           Hueckel, President, Central Ohio Flower Growers, 
           Delaware--100 members; Hal Mullins, President, Central 
           Ohio Chapter, Air Conditioning Contractors of America, 
           Columbus--106 member companies; James Tann, President, 
           Brick Institute of America, Mid East Region, North 
           Canton; Ronald L. Kolbash, President, Ohio Mining & 
           Reclamation Association, Columbus, 121 member 
           companies; Richard C. Hannon, Jr., Chairman of 
           Legislative Committee, Board Member, Carroll County 
           Chamber of Commerce, Carrollton--150 members; John 
           Nave, Director, Associated Risk Managers of Ohio, 
           Powell; Jim Frost, Secretary/Treasurer, Akron/Medina 
           County Labor Council AFL-CIO, Akron--18,000 members.

           

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