[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 53 (Thursday, April 15, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2390-S2391]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 487--HONORING THE COAL MINERS WHO PERISHED IN THE 
UPPER BIG BRANCH MINE-SOUTH IN RALEIGH COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA, EXTENDING 
  THE CONDOLENCES OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE TO THE FAMILIES OF THE 
    FALLEN COAL MINERS, AND RECOGNIZING THE VALIANT EFFORTS OF THE 
                       EMERGENCY RESPONSE WORKERS

  Mr. BYRD (for himself, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Enzi, Mr. 
Reid, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Akaka, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. 
Baucus, Mr. Bayh, Mr. Begich, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Bingaman, 
Mr. Bond, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Brown of Massachusetts, Mr. Brown of Ohio, 
Mr. Brownback, Mr. Bunning, Mr. Burr, Mr. Burris, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. 
Cardin, Mr. Carper, Mr. Casey, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Cochran, 
Ms. Collins, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Corker, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Crapo, Mr. DeMint, 
Mr. Dodd, Mr. Dorgan, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Ensign, Mr. Feingold, Mrs. 
Feinstein, Mr. Franken, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Graham, Mr. Grassley, Mr. 
Gregg, Mrs. Hagan, Mr. Hatch, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Inouye, 
Mr. Isakson, Mr. Johanns, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Kaufman, Mr. Kerry, Ms. 
Klobuchar, Mr. Kohl, Mr. Kyl, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Leahy, 
Mr. LeMieux, Mr. Levin, Mr. Lieberman, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Lugar, Mr. 
McCain, Mrs. McCaskill, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Ms. Mikulski, Ms. 
Murkowski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. Nelson of Florida, 
Mr. Pryor, Mr. Reed, Mr. Risch, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Schumer, 
Mr. Sessions, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Shelby, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Specter, Ms. 
Stabenow, Mr. Tester, Mr. Thune, Mr. Udall of Colorado, Mr. Udall of 
New Mexico, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Warner, Mr. Webb, Mr. 
Whitehouse, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. Wyden) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 487

       Whereas coal mining is a time-honored profession;
       Whereas coal miners and the families of coal miners have 
     shaped the rich history and culture of the State of West 
     Virginia and the United States;
       Whereas the United States is greatly indebted to coal 
     miners for the difficult and dangerous work performed by coal 
     miners to provide the fuel necessary to keep the United 
     States strong and secure;
       Whereas the United States has long recognized the 
     importance of health and safety protections for coal miners 
     laboring in extreme and dangerous conditions;
       Whereas accidents in coal mines have repeatedly taken the 
     lives of coal miners;
       Whereas, following an explosion on April 5, 2010, 29 coal 
     miners from the State of West Virginia tragically perished in 
     the Upper Big Branch Mine-South;
       Whereas the explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine-South 
     was the worst coal mining disaster in the United States 
     during the 40 years prior to the date of the agreement to 
     this resolution;
       Whereas Federal, State, and local rescue crews worked 
     tirelessly in a courageous rescue and recovery effort after 
     the explosion;
       Whereas the families of the fallen coal miners have 
     suffered an immeasurable loss; and
       Whereas residents of Raleigh County and the State of West 
     Virginia came together to support the families of the fallen 
     coal miners: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes the ultimate sacrifice made by the 29 coal 
     miners lost at the Upper Big Branch Mine-South in Raleigh 
     County, West Virginia;
       (2) extends the deepest condolences of the United States 
     Senate to the families of the fallen coal miners;
       (3) honors the survivors of the tragedy;

[[Page S2391]]

       (4) recognizes all coal miners for--
       (A) enduring the immeasurable loss of coworkers; and
       (B) maintaining courage in the aftermath of the explosion 
     at the Upper Big Branch Mine-South;
       (5) commends the valiant efforts of the emergency response 
     workers searching for the missing coal miners after the 
     explosion; and
       (6) honors the many volunteers who provided support and 
     comfort for the families of the missing coal miners during 
     the rescue and recovery operations.

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