[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 14 (Wednesday, February 8, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S870-S871]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING COAL MINERS AND RESCUE CREWS IN WEST VIRGINIA
Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the
immediate consideration of S. Res. 370, submitted earlier today.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 370) honoring the sacrifice and
courage of the 16 coal miners killed in various mine
disasters in West Virginia, and recognizing the rescue crews
for their outstanding efforts in the aftermath of the
tragedies.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, today, together with Senator Rockefeller and
the West Virginia delegation in the House, I have submitted a
resolution honoring the 16 coal miners who perished this year in the
State of West Virginia. They are: Tom Anderson, Alva Bennett, Jim
Bennett, Jerry Groves, George Hamner, Jr., Terry Helms, Jesse Jones,
David Lewis, Martin Toler, Jr., Fred Ware, Jackie Weaver, and Marshall
Winans who perished in the Sago Mine in Upshur County, WV.
They are Don Bragg and Ellery Hatfield who perished in the Aracoma
Alma Mine in Logan County, WV.
[[Page S871]]
They are Paul Moss and Edmund Vance who perished in separate mines in
Boone County, WV.
While the names of these coal miners have become known to many of us,
we must not forget that there are many more coal miners whose tragic
deaths are not chronicled in the national media. They die quietly in
their homes of black lung disease. They die anonymously in mine
accidents across the Nation. Their families mourn, their families
grieve their loss without national attention.
I pay tribute to all of those who have fallen in our Nation's mines
and to their families who must bear their loss. A grateful Nation owes
its eternal thanks.
Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I wish to associate myself with the
remarks of my distinguished senior senator, Mr. Byrd, and rise to ask
my colleagues to take up and adopt our resolution honoring miners in
West Virginia and throughout this country who work hard in dangerous
situations to provide energy this Nation needs.
The attention of the world was focused on small towns in my State of
West Virginia in the first two months of 2006. When 12 miners were
found to have died in the Sago Mine in Upshur County in early January,
the hopes and prayers of a global television audience were dashed along
with those living the tragedy in the Sago Baptist Church.
Americans and our friends around the world tuned in again when miners
became trapped by a belt fire in the Alma Mine in Logan County later in
January. I was sitting with the families of the trapped miners when
they heard the news we were all dreading. It was a profoundly sad and
moving moment, one I will never forget, and an experience which I
cannot do justice to here.
When tragedy struck again at two mines in Boone County it was almost
more than any of us could bear. After these accidents, the Governor of
my State of West Virginia, Joe Manchin, who has been a stalwart
throughout these trying times, called for a temporary stand-down in
West Virginia mines to reinforce and reinvigorate mine safety
procedures. I was pleased to see that the Mine Safety and Health
Administration, MSHA, came into West Virginia in numbers to assist
State officials, and later instituted a 1-hour safety refresher for all
U.S. mines under its authority. In Pennsylvania, Governor Rendell
emulated Governor Manchin in calling for renewed safety training for
mines throughout the Commonwealth.
Mining, as we know, is an inherently dangerous profession, but it is
a vital component in our Nation's economy. Without coal from
Appalachia, the Illinois Basin, the Powder River Basin, and various
other regions throughout the U.S., our economy shuts down. Coal
provides more than half our electricity, and coal conversion
technologies will soon allow America's most abundant mineral resource
to provide transportation fuels and chemical feedstocks as well. If the
United States of America is ever going to lessen its dependence on
foreign sources of energy, you can be sure that the miners will lead
the way. These are men and women who do a job most Americans understand
little about, and until tragedy periodically reminds the Nation, most
Americans probably do not even think about. Coal production is
increasing across the country and around the world. Coal is on the
rise, and safety has to be, too.
Mine safety has been very much in the thoughts of every West
Virginian these first two months of 2006. In 2005, West Virginia lost
miners also, as did Alabama, Ohio, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky.
Mr. President, 2006 has already seen mine fatalities in Kentucky and
Utah. As these tragedies show, and as MSHA's nationwide action and
Governor Rendell's actions in Pennsylvania suggest, mine safety is a
national issue and improving it must be a national priority.
Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to,
the preamble be agreed to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the
table, and that any statements relating thereto be printed in the
Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 370) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
S. Res. 370
Whereas coal generates more than half of domestic
electricity, providing millions of Americans with energy for
their homes and businesses;
Whereas West Virginia is the Nation's second largest coal
producing State;
Whereas an average of 7,600 pounds of coal per person per
year is used in the United States;
Whereas the United States has an estimated 275,000,000,000
tons of recoverable coal reserves representing about 95
percent of all fossil fuel reserves in the nation;
Whereas coal continues to be the economic engine for many
communities;
Whereas coal miners are among the most productive of all
American workers, producing 7 tons of coal per miner per day,
which results in coal consistently being the most cost-
effective choice for generating electricity in the United
States;
Whereas during the last century over 100,000 coal miners
have been killed in mining accidents in the Nation's coal
mines;
Whereas the Nation is greatly indebted to coal miners for
the difficult and dangerous work they perform to provide the
fuel needed to operate the Nation's industries and to provide
energy to homes and businesses;
Whereas 13 West Virginia miners were trapped 260 feet below
the surface in the Sago mine for over 40 hours following an
explosion on January 2, 2006;
Whereas Federal, State, and local rescue crews worked
relentlessly in an attempt to save the miners;
Whereas many residents of Upshur County, West Virginia, and
the surrounding areas came together at the Sago Baptist
Church to support the miners' families;
Whereas 12 miners, Thomas Anderson, Alva Martin Bennett,
Jim Bennett, Jerry Groves, George Hamner Jr., Terry Helms,
David Lewis, Martin Toler, Fred Ware Jr., Jack Weaver, Jesse
Jones, and Marshall Winans, lost their lives on January 3,
2006;
Whereas only one miner, Randal McCloy, was safely rescued;
Whereas 2 West Virginia miners were trapped by a fire in
the Aracoma Alma Mine on January 19, 2006;
Whereas Don Israel Bragg and Ellery ``Elvis'' Hatfield lost
their lives in the Aracoma Alma Mine;
Whereas 2 West Virginia miners lost their lives in separate
incidents in Boone County on February 1, 2006; and
Whereas Edmund Vance perished in the Long Branch No. 18
Mine and Paul Moss perished at the Elk Run Black Castle mine:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes Thomas Anderson, Alva Martin Bennett, Jim
Bennett, Jerry Groves, George Hamner Jr., Terry Helms, David
Lewis, Martin Toler, Fred Ware Jr., Jack Weaver, Jesse Jones,
and Marshall Winans for their sacrifice in the Sago, West
Virginia, coal mine;
(2) recognizes Don Israel Bragg and Ellery ``Elvis''
Hatfield for their sacrifice in the Aracoma Alma, West
Virginia coal mine;
(3) extends the deepest condolences of the Nation to the
families of these men;
(4) recognizes Edmund Vance and Paul Moss for their
sacrifice in the Boone County, West Virginia coal mines;
(5) recognizes Randal McCloy for his stamina and courage
that enabled him to survive in severe conditions for over 40
hours;
(6) recognizes the rescue crews for their outstanding
effort resulting in the safe rescue of Randal McCloy; and
(7) recognizes the many volunteers who provided support for
the miners' families during the rescue operations.
____________________