[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 140 (Thursday, September 15, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S5815]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         MINERS PROTECTION ACT

  Mr. BROWN. Madam President, yesterday I joined Senator Manchin, 
Senator Warner, Senator Capito, and others about the mine workers' 
pension. I come to the floor again today as I just cannot believe that 
my colleagues are going to go home. Some wanted to go today and make 
this the last day of session. Others are saying next week.
  I think there is no excuse for this Senate to leave without taking 
care of the longtime--starting with Harry Truman--agreement we have 
made with the people who go down into coal mines and do their work. 
They powered this country and have for decades. It is one of the most 
difficult, least safe jobs in the country.
  On my lapel I wear a depiction of a canary in a bird cage that was 
given to me at a workers' Memorial Day rally. The mine workers stuck a 
canary down in the mines. One hundred years ago they had no union to 
protect them. They had no government that cared enough to protect them 
and their safety. They relied on this canary. If the canary died, they 
got out of the mines. They were on their own.
  We know this proud history of mine workers in Ohio, West Virginia, 
Kentucky, Western Pennsylvania, and Southwest Virginia. We have an 
obligation--the anti-labor sentiment in this body, particularly in 
Republican leadership--to these mine workers. When they negotiated 
their wages at the bargaining table, they gave up wages 20 years ago, 
30 years ago, or 40 years ago. They gave up wages then so they would 
have pension and health care later. They were some of the most 
patriotic people--and have been.
  When we had our rally the other day outside of the Capitol to at 
least push Senator McConnell to do his job, to push this Senate to do 
its job. This is a Senate that has been out of session more than any 
Senate in the last 60 years. They simply don't want to do their job. 
Even forgetting about nominating, confirming, or at least having 
hearings on a Supreme Court nominee, forgetting about the Zika virus 
for a moment--this Senate simply isn't doing its job, and it starts 
down the hall in the majority leader's office.
  They are simply refusing to bring to a vote this very simple bill to 
protect miners' pensions and health care. It doesn't cost taxpayer 
dollars. It is moving money from the abandoned mine fund into this UMWA 
pension and health care fund.
  It is a betrayal of those workers. It is simply saying we don't care 
about those workers. I can't believe that this body doesn't seem to 
care much about workers, doesn't seem to care much about people who 
work with their hands, doesn't seem to care much about the safety of 
workers, doesn't seem to care much about the air they breathe and the 
conditions they work in.
  This is finally a chance for this body to go on record saying: Yes, 
we actually think mine workers have dedicated their lives to working 
some of the most difficult jobs in our country, and we should live up 
to our obligation. Other than that, it is a betrayal of those workers, 
and it is coming straight out of the majority leader's office.
  It is shameful that this Senate is thinking about going home without 
doing its work. I again ask the leader to schedule this bill so we can 
move forward.
  Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Daines). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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