[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 47 (Thursday, March 19, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H1774]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      ELECTRICITY FOR RURAL HAITI

  (Mr. MASSIE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MASSIE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize three of my 
constituents from Owenton, Kentucky: Matthew Everett Greenlee, Mark 
Allen Greene, and Robert Wayne VonBokern. These three outstanding power 
linemen from Owen Electric Cooperative recently volunteered for a 
project in Haiti that, when completed, will provide safe, affordable, 
and reliable power to 1,600 consumers.
  The goal of the project is to build a distribution system that will 
connect three towns in Haiti and establish its first electric 
cooperative, the Cooperative Electrique de l'Arrondissement des 
Coteaux.
  My constituents upgraded and installed new lines and service drops in 
the town of Roche-a-Bateaux. They also trained locally hired linemen in 
proper construction methods, pole climbing techniques, and proper 
handline use, and important safety practices.
  Electricity is essential to the quality of life for those in Haiti's 
rural communities. It assists in the provision of clean water, health 
care, education, and general economic opportunity. Therefore, I salute 
my constituents for contributing their time and efforts in Haiti on 
this critical project.

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