[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9929-9930]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          MINERS PROTECTION ACT AND FLOODING IN WEST VIRGINIA

  Mr. REID. Madam President, just last month, we marked the 70th 
anniversary of President Truman's historic promise to mine workers. 
President Truman promised lifetime health and pension benefits to coal 
miners in exchange for their continuing the back-breaking work which 
built our Nation, but today tens of thousands of miners and widows are 
in imminent danger of losing not part of their health benefits but all 
of them--100 percent of them. Their modest pension benefits are also at 
serious risk. A promise that has been kept for 70 years is about to be 
violated, broken. We shouldn't let that happen.
  There is a bipartisan solution that would avert this crisis. Senator 
Manchin wants the Senate to vote on his Miners Protection Act, and so 
do I.
  If it is up to Senator McConnell, we are not going to be given a 
chance to

[[Page 9930]]

vote before the recess, despite the gravity of the situation.
  Just 2 weeks ago, more than 3,000 miners and their supporters rallied 
in Lexington, KY, urging congressional action. The Senate should vote 
on the Miners Protection Act before we recess for the political 
conventions that will be held this summer.
  A promise made by President Truman is a promise we should keep 
because a promise made should be a promise kept.
  Madam President, as we work to help these families, we should not 
forget the many West Virginians who are fighting the devastating 
flooding that has ravaged that State. Twenty-five have died. Our hearts 
go out to the victims and the families of those affected by the 
devastation.
  I have spoken several times to the senior Senator from West Virginia. 
It is hard to comprehend, in that sparsely populated State, that a 
storm can take 25 people--men, women, and children--and still there are 
people unaccounted for.
  On behalf of the whole Senate, I express the care and feeling we have 
for West Virginia. I want to be available to do everything I can to 
help the people of West Virginia. Senator Manchin is a great advocate, 
and we will listen closely to follow his direction and guidance.
  We also thank the many brave police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and 
members of the National Guard who worked hard to prevent further loss 
of life. Many more people came close to dying. We have seen it all on 
television. We have read the stories. It is very frightening that 
something like that could happen.
  I was told by Senator Manchin this
is a 1,000-year storm--not a 100-year storm but a 1,000-year storm. 
Nothing like this has never happened before--9 inches of rain in just a 
matter of hours. It is devastating for the people of West Virginia but 
also for our country.
  Will the Chair please announce the business of the day.

                          ____________________