[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 21416]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



        IMPORTANCE OF MINING INDUSTRY TO AMERICA AND ITS FUTURE

  (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, there are some Members of 
this body that would like to eliminate the American mining industry. 
However, many of them do not realize how important this industry is to 
America and to its future.
  Without the mining industry, we would not have the system of 
transportation that enables America to get to work and be productive. 
In fact, we would not have a refrigerator that preserves and keeps our 
food cold and would not have a bed to sleep in or even a house to live 
in, not to mention that the combined direct and indirect economic 
impact of the Nation's metal mining industry amounts to more than $112 
billion per year.
  The metal industry paid $523 million directly to State and local 
governments, $620 million in taxes and fees to the Federal Government, 
$7 billion to other businesses for supplies and almost $3.5 billion in 
wages and benefits. By the time this $11.6 billion circulates 
throughout the economy, the metal mining industry directly had a $112 
billion impact on the Nation's economy.
  Mining is not just about our quality of life, however, or the hard 
working families. It is also about the contributions it makes to 
medical advancements, our schools, neighborhoods, State and local and 
Federal Governments.
  Mining is a partner with government, with communities all across 
America.

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