[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 176 (Wednesday, November 19, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S10638]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               LABOR DAY

  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, Labor Day is our opportunity to 
celebrate the millions of American workers who have given, and continue 
to give, so much of themselves to make our Nation great. I am happy to 
have had the opportunity to celebrate this Labor Day in Racine, WV, 
with many old friends. Today, on the holiday especially devoted to the 
social and economic achievements of the American workforce. I would 
like to thank all of the miners, teachers, nurses, service technicians, 
firefighters, police, repairmen, and all those who dedicate their lives 
to making their communities and their country a better place. As summer 
is winding down and children are preparing to go back to school, we 
should all take a moment to appreciate what working Americans do for 
us.
  Honest, hard-working people, with the core American values of faith 
and family, are what make West Virginia such a wonderful place to live 
and call home. Miners work long shifts, miles under the ground, often 
in tight spaces with frigid water up to their knees, to get the coal 
that provides 50 percent of our Nation's electricity. Yet people rarely 
think of that when they flip on the light switch. Teachers spend much 
of their own personal time preparing lesson plans and finding creative 
ways to teach our next generation. They always go above and beyond the 
call of duty for their students. Those in public service work day in 
and day out to get Social Security checks processed and in the mail on 
time, to manage tax returns, or to deliver basic health services to our 
citizens. I applaud each and every one of these Americans.
  I am glad Congress succeeded, finally, this year in raising the 
minimum wage to $6.55, to help our working families. Increasing the 
minimum wage so it is a living wage is something I have advocated since 
1998, and now all of our workers will get the increase they need and 
deserve to help make ends meet in this struggling economy. This Labor 
Day I am especially aware of the need to change the direction of our 
country and that has to start with turning around our economy. It is 
unfair for hard-working Americans to have to deal with stagnant wages 
and rising costs for gas, food, and health care with no help. The 
minimum wage will continue to rise until it reaches $7.25 in 2009.
  These workers are the heart and soul of West Virginia. Opportunities 
do not come easily to them. They work hard every day to get the things 
they need for their families--gas, school supplies, and maybe new 
sneakers or a pair of jeans for the next school year. Before the rise 
of unions, we did not enjoy a 40-hour work week, the benefits of Social 
Security, or the right to organize. But West Virginians always fought 
for the American dream. They have a high regard for quality and strive 
for excellence in everything that they do. In an unfortunate Forbes 
survey, West Virginia was listed as one of the least desirable states 
in which to do business. But that is only because some companies do not 
yet know the men and women that make up West Virginia's workforce; they 
do not realize that West Virginia's future and potential is about more 
than just coal. They do not see the small business owners, the nurses 
and doctors, the educators, the entrepreneurs, the manufacturers, and 
artists who keep our State moving and make it so special. They must not 
have heard that companies from all over the world such as DuPont, Union 
Carbide, and Phone Poulenc have put plants in West Virginia and tapped 
into our dedicated work force. Northrop Grumman, MPL Corporation, 
Orrick, Herrington, and Sutcliffe, that's the real West Virginia--with 
a bright future fueled by all its abundant resources, the most precious 
of which are the men and women of our workforce. Our Toyota plant is 
the fastest growing plant in the history of Toyota Motor Company. It 
has been named the plant with the most productive workers in all of 
North America 5 years in a row. This is a testament to West Virginia 
employees' unmatched work ethic.
  As we celebrate Labor Day, we need to remember that it is the 
commitment and diligence of our workers that makes us great. We as West 
Virginians are fighters, always have been, always will be, but even 
fighters need a day off. West Virginians have earned a day of rest.

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