[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13931]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE APPALACHIAN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR.

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 9, 2015

  Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I wish today to recognize an 
organization that has had a huge impact on rural areas of my District 
and the State of Tennessee.
  The Appalachian Electric Cooperative is celebrating its 75th 
anniversary during its annual meeting on September 26th in White Pine, 
Tennessee, where up to 2,000 people are expected to attend.
  Governor Bill Haslam has proclaimed September 26th as Appalachian 
Electric Cooperative Day.
  Since 1940, the member-owned, non-profit Appalachian Electric 
Cooperative has been providing reliable and affordable electricity 
across East Tennessee.
  Today, it serves 45,000 people in Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson and 
Sevier Counties.
  Several years ago, I was named the number one champion of rural 
America in the entire House of Representatives.
  I have always rooted for the little guy or the underdog in life. It 
is very important to stand up for small towns and rural areas because 
they do not have the resources of big cities and often get 
shortchanged.
  I read recently that two-thirds of the counties in the U.S. are 
losing population. There are many small towns and rural areas across 
the Appalachian region that are barely holding on.
  Without affordable, reliable electricity, these rural areas would 
cease to exist. We must do everything we can to support rural America 
and help stem this population loss.
  Mr. Speaker, the Appalachian Electric Cooperative has been a lifeline 
for many thousands of people across rural East Tennessee for the last 
75 years. I urge my colleagues and other readers of the Record to 
congratulate them on this milestone and thank them for their service to 
Tennessee.

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