[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 160 (Thursday, September 27, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H9095]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   COUNTRY ROADS ARE CALLING ME HOME

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from West 
Virginia (Mr. Jenkins) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JENKINS of West Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I have been blessed these 
last 4 years to represent the people of West Virginia's Third 
Congressional District, but now country roads are calling me home.
  My State is facing a crisis in our judicial system, and I believe 
back home is where I am needed most to best serve the people of West 
Virginia. This Sunday, I will be stepping down from the people's House 
to serve as a justice beginning Monday on our State Supreme Court.
  We are proud West Virginians, always working to make sure the State 
we love is the very best it can be, and taking care of one another when 
times are tough. In Congress, I have tried to use that Mountain State 
can-do spirit to help West Virginia grow and prosper. Here are just a 
few examples.
  Helping newborn babies. We have worked to help the most innocent 
victims of the drug crisis: newborn babies exposed to drugs during 
pregnancy. The cry of a precious, tiny baby suffering through 
withdrawal is heartbreaking. We were able to cut through Federal red 
tape and pass legislation, signed by the President, so facilities like 
Lily's Place can help children get a healthy start in life.
  Protecting miner's healthcare. Our government made a promise to our 
miners: You go into the bowels of the Earth, mine the coal that fuels 
our Nation, forge the steel that won world wars, and we will guarantee 
you a secure healthcare benefit. We kept that promise, passing 
legislation protecting healthcare for our retirees and their widows.
  As go the roads, so go the jobs. As a member of the House 
Appropriations Committee, I helped fund the FAST Act, bringing $2.5 
billion of funding just to West Virginia. Now, we are fixing our roads 
and bridges, and investing in water and sewer infrastructure, 
transitioning the West Virginia economy. We are bringing broadband to 
our State in rural parts.
  Growing more jobs. My motto is a good job solves a lot of problems. 
You can feel hope and opportunity returning to the hills of West 
Virginia. In fact, our 2017 economic growth rate was one of the highest 
in the country.
  I will never forget standing in the Oval Office with President Trump, 
surrounded by our hardworking coal miners, as he signed the legislation 
I helped pass that saved one-third of all coal mining jobs in America. 
Coal trains are full again and paychecks are back in workers' pockets.

  This has truly been a team effort. I want to thank the incredible 
staff for their hard work and dedication to our constituents. We have 
handled over 5,000 constituent service requests these last 4 years.
  We were able to help people like Wetzel Sanders, a true American 
hero. Wetzel was a corporal in the Army and was injured in the attack 
on Pearl Harbor. He took shrapnel to the knee, was bandaged, and went 
back into the fight. He is now 95 years old, and I was able to present 
him with a much-deserved Purple Heart he should not have had to wait 76 
years to receive.
  We have also helped people through some of their most difficult 
times. In a matter of hours in late June 2016, 23 people lost their 
lives and hundreds of homes were destroyed. Thousands of residents were 
left with nothing but the clothes on their backs, due to devastating 
floods. We worked hard to help our residents recover and rebuild to get 
their lives headed back in the right direction.
  Let me reassure the people of the Third Congressional District, my 
dedicated staff will continue to serve the people of West Virginia, and 
our constituent service won't skip a beat.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank West Virginia House Members, my fellow 
colleagues,  David McKinley and Alex Mooney, and Senator Capito and 
Senator Manchin for the opportunity to serve and work with them. They 
are dedicated public servants.
  I will miss hosting middle school students late at night, right here 
on the House floor, talking about the greatness of our country, and 
sharing a quiet moment with our heroes on an honor flight from back 
home at our war memorials here in Washington.
  I will not miss sleeping on a $99 cot each night these past 4 years 
in my office here in Washington, but I was never here in Washington to 
get settled in.
  Finally, I would like to thank my wife, E.B., and our children, 
Hollin, Charles, and Olivia, for supporting me each and every step of 
the way. They have been incredibly patient and understanding about the 
time public service has taken from our family time. I love them very 
much.
  Again, I thank the citizens of the Third Congressional District for 
the opportunity to serve them in the United States House of 
Representatives.
  God bless America and God bless West Virginia.

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