[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Page 20230]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO FEDERAL EMPLOYEES


                            Kevin Stricklin

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, since 2010, I have come to the Senate 
floor on an occasional basis to honor exemplary Federal employees, a 
tradition started by my friend, the former Senator from Delaware Ted 
Kaufman. Today I am going to continue that tradition as we get to the 
close of this year.
  I am pleased to honor a great Federal employee, Kevin Stricklin, who 
also happens to be a Virginian. As the administrator for coal at the 
Mine Safety and Health Administration, Mr. Stricklin leads a team that 
enforces safety rules, improves industry compliance, and executes 
rescue and recovery operations.
  On his watch, the number of coal miners who died in accidents last 
year, 16, while still too high, was the lowest ever recorded in the 
history of the United States. In addition, the number of mines with 
chronic violations dropped from 51 in 2010 to 12 in 2014, and the 
number of citations against mines fell from more than 96,000 in 2010 to 
less than 63,000 in 2014, even as inspections increased.
  After the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster in 2010, Mr. Stricklin was 
at the frontlines of implementing reforms to improve mine safety, 
including quarterly inspections, surprise inspections for repeat 
violators, and a program that identifies habitual safety lapses.
  When accidents have occurred, Mr. Stricklin's creativity and calm 
under pressure have saved countless lives. In a 2002 accident, a 
Pennsylvania coal mine flooded, trapping nine miners. Mr. Stricklin and 
his team devised a plan to drill a 6\1/2\-inch hole and inject 
compressed air into it. Their plan provided oxygen to the miners and 
prevented the water level from rising any further. The miners survived 
and were hoisted to the surface using a capsule the team helped design.
  Following a 2006 accident in West Virginia, rescuers' efforts were 
impeded by limitations in communicating over long distances. The 
protocol at that time was 1,000 feet. The team's solution was to 
develop a wireless fiber-optic system that extended communication up to 
5 miles. Mr. Stricklin and his team improved the standard by more than 
26 times.
  Like so many other Federal employees, they went above and beyond 
because it was in the country's best interest, not because they 
expected praise or recognition. Mr. Stricklin, whose two grandfathers 
and father were all coal miners, describes his objective as being ``for 
each miner to go home as safe and as healthy at the end of the day as 
they started at the beginning of the day.''
  I am proud to rise today to recognize Mr. Stricklin's dedication to 
public safety and commitment to public service. I hope my colleagues 
will join me in thanking him, his team, and, frankly, during the 
holiday season, all Federal Government employees at all levels of 
service to our country for their contributions and hard work.
  As we go through these final days of debate--and hopefully, as I said 
at the outset, we will get a chance to spend time with our families 
over the holidays--I do think it is important that we also take a 
moment to reflect on the close to 2 million civilian Federal employees 
who serve our Nation in so many ways each and every day without 
fanfare.
  I yield the floor.
  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. HATCH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I also ask unanimous consent that I be 
permitted to complete two sets of remarks.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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