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This Thursday, Cindy Sproehnle, Assessment Center Director at Gateway Community & Technical College (GCTC), Jane Ernst of Loveland Schools, Dr. Siobhan Barone of Thomas More College and I met to discuss career development programs for students in our region. I was impressed with these professionals' dedication to helping our young people succeed in school and in life.
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Weekly Column: The Truth about Oil Shale
The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline continues to break records, crossing $4.10 over Independence Day weekend. Not only has the pain at the pump squeezed our family budgets and curbed some Fourth of July celebrations across the Commonwealth, it has also forced the Kentucky State Police to reduce patrols and caused our school districts to raise lunch prices and cut bus routes.
The United States possesses abundant domestic energy resources that hold tremendous potential to increase our energy supply, create jobs and possibly generate a third industrial revolution in our nation. Unfortunately, the Democratic Majority in Congress continues to avoid creating a comprehensive energy strategy that will increase our domestic energy supply so that we can reduce our dependence on foreign oil from unstable regions of the world.
It is past time to responsibly explore and develop the plentiful energy resources that exist on and off our nation's shores. The Interior Department estimates that there are 112 billion barrels of recoverable oil beneath U.S. federal lands and coastal waters. That estimate does not account for oil shale.
America is home to the largest oil shale deposits on Earth. The Institute for Energy Research estimates that we could extract more than seven times the amount of crude oil reserves found in Saudi Arabia from shale in our own country. This would be enough oil to meet current U.S. demand for more than 250 years.
Oil shale is a type of porous rock that contains trapped oil deposits. In the past, shale had to be mined, much like coal, and then go through extensive heat or chemical processing in order to extract the oil. Today, technology is available that allows companies to drill into oil shale and insert heating elements that bring the oil to the surface without the need for mining. This technology has eliminated the need for disruptive mining methods and lengthy industrial processing, making the process of extracting oil from shale more efficient, affordable and environmentally responsible.
In 2005, the Republican-led Congress directed the U.S. Secretary of Interior to develop a program that would facilitate the production of America's oil shale resources. However, in 2007, the Democratic Majority prohibited the Department of the Interior from completing this task by suspending funding for the project. Now is not the time to restrict our options.
As global demand for oil continues to grow dramatically, current supply cannot keep pace. We must take action to use our American energy resources in a responsible and efficient manner. Seventy-five percent of Americans support an immediate increase in oil drilling in the United States. The Democratic Majority has an obligation to the American people; they must remove unnecessary and outdated laws so that we can develop and benefit from the resources at our fingertips.
As a nation, we must evaluate all potential solutions for solving our energy crisis. In the short term, we must effectively utilize our domestic resources. In addition, we must invest in the creation of alternative fuels. A sensible energy policy must also address incentives for increased conservation and efficiency. Finally, we must make strategic investments in energy research so that the fuels of the future are safe, clean and affordable for all Americans.
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D.C. and District Talk
Maysville Community and Technical College awarded education grant
I'm pleased to announce that Maysville Community and Technical College (MCTC) will receive a $399,967.00 grant through the Department of Education's Strengthening Institutions Program. The college plans to dedicate a significant portion of the grant to improving the quality and accessibility of its distance education programs. MCTC will receive this grant for up to five years.
It is wonderful to see Maysville Community and Technical College receive much-needed funding and support from the Department of Education. The severe impact that gas prices are having in Kentucky makes the focus on distance learning and education programs all the more important and timely.
MCTC is a public two-year college serving seventeen counties in Kentucky and two counties in Ohio. Each year, more than 3,600 students attend the college's campuses in Maysville, Morehead, Cynthiana and Paris. Since approximately 77% of these students are employed and 55% have children, many of MCTC's courses are delivered through distance education programs. This grant will allow the college to build new computer labs, convert new courses to an online format and develop new academic support services including orientation, tutoring and advising.
The Department of Education's Strengthening Institutions Program is designed to improve and strengthen the academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability of eligible institutions. You can learn more about the program at . By visiting you can also learn more about all the grant programs available at the Department of Education.http://www.ed.gov/fund/landing.jhtml?src=rthttp://www.ed.gov/programs/iduestitle3a/index.html
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Annual drinking water report shows improvement in treatment violations
 The Kentucky Division of Water (DOW) recently released the 2007 Annual Compliance Report (ACR) on public water systems. The report indicates that violations involving contaminants and treatment dropped considerably from 2006 to 2007. The report, required by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, lists Kentucky's 458 public water systems and any violations imposed in the previous calendar year. The 2007 report shows that the maximum contaminant level and treatment violations decreased from 147 in 2006 to 81 in 2007.
Last year, the majority of violations at Kentucky's public water systems involved administrative infractions, rather than problems with water treatment. Kentucky's public water supply systems test on a regular basis for bacteria, nitrate and other inorganic chemicals, radiological elements, and more than 100 industrial chemicals and pesticides. The results are monitored by DOW. A water system that exceeds the standards for a contaminant is required to take corrective action and notify its customers.
You can view the 2007 Annual Compliance Report summary and detail at . The summary report is arranged by contaminant, while the detailed document is arranged by public water system. For more information, contact Frank Hall at the Division of Water at (502) 564-3410, ext. 542.www.water.ky.gov/dw/consumer/acr/
Constituent Corner
Password security tips
PC Magazine recently published a list of the most commonly overused internet passwords. The top 10 include: password, 123456, qwerty, abc123, letmein, monkey, myspace1, password1, blink182 and (your first name). Since simply guessing at passwords is a common tool of identity thieves, it may be worthwhile for you to consider changing your internet passwords to something stronger.
 A password is considered strong if it contains a minimum of eight (8) characters which include letters, numbers and at least one special character. For example: "MyPassword_01" would be considered a stronger password because it contains 13 characters and includes letters, two numbers and an underscore as its special character. The best passwords are those which are difficult for an intruder to guess, but easy for you to remember such as "B1ue_B1rd" which is not a real word because it uses numbers that look like the letter "I" and "L".
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Prevent sunburn
Warm temperatures and extra hours of sunlight entice many to spend more time outdoors in the summer, dramatically increasing exposure to harmful rays that can cause skin damage and skin cancer. This summer, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services wants all Kentuckians to protect themselves and their loved ones -particularly young children- from harmful sun exposure. According to DPH, some sunlight - about fifteen minutes twice a week - is necessary for people to make and use vitamin D. However, excessive exposure can be dangerous.
Records provided by the Kentucky Office of Health Policy show that twenty-seven Kentuckians were hospitalized with severe sunburns in 2007, some of whom suffered dangerous second- and third-degree burns. Of those, six patients were children ranging in age from younger than one to twelve years old. Children are especially susceptible to painful sunburns and skin damage caused by overexposure to sunlight. The Cabinet's summer safety campaign stresses the importance of adults supervising and taking adequate precautions on behalf of children to protect them from serious sunburn.
In addition to immediate pain, overexposure to sunlight and sunburns can heighten the risk for developing skin cancer. According to the Kentucky Cancer Registry, the incidence rate of invasive skin cancer in Kentucky was nearly 22 out of every 100,000 people from 2001 to 2005. The mortality rate for the same period was 4.39 per 100,000 people.
Some tips for avoiding sunburn or side effects linked to sun exposure are:
- Wear a hat that shields your face from the sun
- Limit your sun exposure. The sun is hottest and strongest between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m
- Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or greater.
- Wear sunglasses that are UV rated.
- Choose cosmetics, moisturizing creams and lotions that contain sunscreen.
- Protect your lips with products that have a SPF of 15 or greater.
- Avoid sunbathing.
- Avoid tanning salons.
Traps that could burn investors
This summer, the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) warns that scam artists trying to steal unsuspecting investors' hard-earned dollars. Investors should be wary of supposedly hot energy-related tips, speculative real estate promotions, unsolicited invitations from new online "friends," and complex investment products that fail to offer clear disclosures of risks and costs.
As the housing market continues to reel, schemes promising large returns from various types of real estate-related investments are increasing. Beware that some real estate alternatives may actually be worthless real estate investments that the promoter wishes to discard. In a new twist on affinity fraud - in which the con artist poses as a member of a certain group in order to gain trust - social networking sites are providing an easy outlet for criminals to find victims. Investors should research carefully before making an investment and not simply rely on "expert" advice given at a seminar or meeting.
State securities regulators have recently been investigating auction-rate securities. This attention from regulators reinforces the fact that investors should remain cautious when they are pitched complex investment products without sufficient disclosures or when advised to concentrate all investments into one product.
In addition to these trends, DFI continues to see suitability problems with variable annuities and similar products. Kentucky law requires a broker or investment adviser to be aware of the client's risk tolerance, age and need for access to the money and must not recommend investments that do not appropriately match these factors. Seniors are often singled out to be switched into new and, in many cases, unsuitable investments.
Before investing, verify that the investment opportunity is registered and the seller is licensed using the online search at or by calling (800) 223-2579. DFI is an agency in the Public Protection Cabinet. It supervises the financial services industry by examining, chartering, licensing and registering various financial institutions, securities firms and professionals in Kentucky. DFI's mission is to serve the public through effective and efficient regulation that promotes consumer confidence and economic growth.www.kfi.ky.gov/search.htm
Keep in mind, if an offer sounds too good to be true, …it usually is.
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Constituent Hours
Every month, members of my staff are available throughout the Fourth Congressional District to assist local residents with problems related to the federal government.
Please click here to see the current list of scheduled times and locations in your area. Appointments are not necessary. As always, constituents are welcome to contact our offices in Washington, D.C., Ashland, La Grange, Ft. Mitchell, Maysville and Williamstown at any time with questions or concerns.
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Legislative News
Legislative Week in Review
The House of Representatives was in session Tuesday through Thursday of this week. The following bills passed the House
- H.R. 3329, Homes for Heroes Act
- S. 2607, DTV Transition Assistance Act
- H.R. 5811, Electronic Message Preservation Act
- H.R. 802, Maritime Pollution Prevention Act
- H.R. 6184, America's Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act
- H.R. 4461, Community Building Code Amendment Grant Act
- H.Res. 1260, Supporting the goals and ideals of "National Internet Safety Month"
- H.R. 1286, Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail Designation Act
- H.Res. 1313, Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first American woman in space, Dr. Sally K. Ride
You can find more information on each of these bills and keep up-to-date on their progress as they move through the legislative process by visiting and typing in the bill number.http://thomas.loc.gov
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Anticipated Action on the House Floor Next Week
The House of Representatives will be in session Monday through Thursday.
Information on next week's schedule can be found on the Office of the Clerk's website for upcoming legislation: . This site provides up-to-date information on House legislative schedules.http://clerk.house.gov/legislative/index.html
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This Day in History - July 11th
- 1796 - The U.S. takes possession of Detroit from Great Britain under terms of the Jay Treaty.
- 1798 - The United States Marine Corps, which had been disbanded after the Revolutionary War, is re-established.
- 1804 - Vice-President Aaron Burr mortally wounds former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in a duel.
- 1914 - Babe Ruth makes his Major League baseball debut.
- 1921 - Former President William Howard Taft is sworn in as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, becoming the only person to hold both offices.
- 1962 - First transatlantic satellite television transmission.
Thanks!
As always, feel free to pass my e-newsletter on to family or friends who would be interested or let them know they can sign up on my website at . Thanks.http://GeoffDavis.house.gov/
| Sincerely, |
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Geoff Davis
Member of Congress |
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