As a pharmacy owner with my wife, I have seen far too many families come through our doors who cannot afford health care for their children. This is America and we can do better. When I was in the Arkansas State Senate, we started work on a comprehensive health program for our kids that became known as ARKids First which I am proud to say now serves more than 70,000 Arkansas children.

The Healthy Kids Act of 2007 provides resources to ensure that no child who is currently enrolled in a State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) loses coverage. SCHIP has made significant progress in reducing the number of uninsured children, but nearly nine million children still lack health coverage, including more than 68,000 in Arkansas alone.

The Healthy Kids Act will provide families with a Healthy Savings Tax Credit so they can purchase employer-based health coverage for their children.  If the family does not have access to such coverage, they can buy into a state-designated coverage plan. 

One child without health care in this country is one too many. We must make covering our uninsured a top priority in this country so that health care is affordable and accessible for everyone. With my seat on the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee where this bill has been referred, I vow to ensure the safety of our most precious gifts - our children.

"Everyday in the United States, we consume approximately 21 million barrels of oil, of which 12 million are imported," Ross said. "Therefore, we must decrease our dependence on foreign oil and increase our energy security by investing in domestic energy sources. Coal is our nation’s most affordable and abundant domestic energy resource.  Our nation has a 250 year supply of coal and it accounts for more than 50 percent of our electricity generated. I strongly believe that due to the abundance of lignite coal we have right here in South Arkansas, we as a nation need to invest in research and development to recover lignite in a cost effective and environmentally friendly manner." 

Arkansas contains approximately nine billion tons of lignite coal which is not currently being utilized. Although current technology makes extracting this important energy source cost prohibitive, Ross said that he believes we should begin developing responsible ways to utilize this energy source in an environmentally friendly manner. 

"It is essential that we start now to plan for the extraction of lignite coal in South Arkansas, and develop the technologies to do so in an environmentally friendly manner that is both affordable and clean,” Ross said. “Just ten years ago, the technology didn't exist to recover natural gas from the Fayetteville Shale, and this energy source was thought to be out of reach. However, now the Fayetteville Shale is an example we should model our approach after so that the lignite coal throughout South Arkansas can also become a viable domestic energy resource for the future."  

Ross is a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Committee where he plays a key role to help remedy our nation's energy crisis. 

"With Americans facing increased utility costs and being forced to empty their wallet at the gas pumps, it is time to move towards policies that will put us on a path towards energy independence and increased energy security," Ross said. "As we continue the discussion of energy policy, whether it is in Arkansas or in Washington, I am committed to ensuring that America's most abundant energy resource, coal, is part of the solution to America's energy problems." 

Panelists for the conference included representatives from the Arkansas Geological Commission, North American Coal Corporation, the Energy and Environmental Research Center, and Southern Arkansas University, among others. 

-30-