[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 63 (Friday, May 13, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E963]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING NATIONAL PUBLIC WORKS WEEK

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                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 12, 2005

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize the American Public Works 
Association's National Public Works Week. From May 15 until May 21, the 
APWA will be sponsoring the National Public Works Week in a concerted 
effort to highlight the importance of the United States public 
infrastructure and public works services. It is my intention today to 
honor these agencies that are essential to the well-being of our 
country.
  Too often we take the many contributions of public works and services 
for granted when they are so intricately woven in to the daily fabric 
of our lives. From the roads we travel to the clean tap water we use 
for drinking, public works pervade every facet of our lives. Our 
communities rely upon the public works agencies that provide the water, 
sewers, roadways, public buildings and waste collection to ensure that 
the communities we live, work and play in are safe.
  The public works that operate in our neighborhoods and cities require 
maintenance by a staff of public employees. The staff that diligently 
design, build, maintain, and repair the public works projects are the 
invisible hands, or the people behind the scenes, that have dedicated 
themselves to the service of our communities. These hardworking 
individuals deserve the greatest of respect for the commitment they 
have shown in serving our communities' welfare.
  In my own state of West Virginia, the influential hand of the public 
works and services reaches deep into the foundation of our state's 
economy. I have advocated vigorously for access to clean water sources 
for citizens as well as effective waste water treatment sites to 
preserve the streams of my state. The Public Service Commission's Water 
and Wastewater division offers seminars that trained 220 utility 
employees about its new Water and Sewer rules last year alone. The 
PSC's transportation division regulates gas pipeline safety and 
regularly inspects reports of weakening infrastructure and leaks. Just 
last year they completed pipeline failure investigations of a ruptured 
pipeline in Wyoming County as well as an incident at Rocky Fork, WV.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in commending their own public works 
and services employees for the duties they perform. The services they 
provide are essential to our nation's well-being. The National Public 
Works Week provides us an opportunity to do so, and we should take it.

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