[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 86 (Thursday, June 19, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S6012]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           WEST VIRGINIA DAY

 Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, tomorrow is a special day for 
me, as well as my fellow West Virginians. On June 20, 134 years ago, 
the citizens of West Virginia separated from Virginia and formed the 
35th State to join the Union.
  They had a saying back then, and it was so popular they made it the 
state motto. Our motto is ``Mountaineers Are Always Free.'' In fact, 
freedom is what West Virginia is all about, but attaining freedom is 
often a challenge. I would like to take a moment to recognize our 
Mountaineer forefathers for their courage in leaving the Old Dominion 
State and taking up the struggle for the freedom of all Americans. I 
commend these people as well as all West Virginians who have fought for 
freedom and liberty by serving our country. I mention this because it 
is in this spirt that our great State was born and still lives. It is 
this unbridled love of freedom that is alive in all our people as well 
as our beautiful environment. One can observe it in the ravishing yet 
perilous gushing rapids of the New and Gauley Rivers, as well as the 
snow-covered Appalachian Mountains, which test the resolve of thousands 
of visitors each year. If one were to have the chance encounter with 
the majestic black bear or cast a fishing line into one of our crystal 
clear lakes, they would quickly come to an appreciation of the freedom 
we West Virginians hold dear.
  Times also have changed. While the once-rudimentary log cabin has 
been replaced by the modern home, full of televisions, microwaves, and 
computers, the values of West Virginians have remained much the same. 
There is a dedication that can be seen in the work of our miners, who 
produce an inexpensive energy source that drives not only the economy 
of West Virginia but the steel mills of Pittsburgh as well as 
powerplants all across America. Whether it is the extra assistance of a 
park ranger, or the friendly smile of a checkout clerk, there is no 
doubt that there exists a pride and dedication in West Virginians 
second to none.
  It is for these reasons as well as many more that I'm proud to be a 
West Virginian. So it is with great honor that I ask my colleagues to 
join me in celebrating this 134th West Virginia Day.

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