[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8236]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             170TH ANNIVERSARY OF CLIFFS NATURAL RESOURCES

 Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, today I wish to offer my 
congratulations to Cliffs Natural Resources and its outstanding 
employees on the company's 170th anniversary. I am honored to celebrate 
this milestone with the largest and oldest independent iron ore mining 
company in the United States.
  In 1847, 11 men from Cleveland founded Cliffs Natural Resources to 
develop ore in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Cliffs has since grown to be 
a leader in North American mining, employing thousands and providing 
U.S. steelmakers with world-class raw materials.
  Mining has always been a way of life for families on Minnesota's Iron 
Range, including my own. My grandfather worked 1,500 feet underground 
in the mines of Ely, MN. His generation helped build our Nation's steel 
industry into the global power it is today. The Iron Range has the 
largest concentration of iron ore in the United States. Right now, 
Minnesota is first in the Nation in the movement of iron ore, with more 
than 4,000 jobs associated with the iron ore and steel industries. 
Throughout our State's history, iron ore mining has not only brought 
jobs to the region, it has also built our country, from our roads, 
bridges, buildings, and railways, to the tanks and ships critical to 
our Nation's defense. The Iron Range also supplied most of the iron 
used in World War II.
  In recent years, Cliffs has focused its energies on revitalizing iron 
ore mines and processing plants in the United States. In August of last 
year, Cliffs broke ground on a $75 million expansion at its United 
Taconite plant in Forbes, MN. I am proud to support companies like 
Cliffs that are committed to creating jobs for Minnesotans for 
generations to come. Cliffs is also well known for its commitment to 
corporate stewardship. From contributing to building homes for families 
through Habitat for Humanity, to helping ensure children in need get a 
nutritious meal through United Way programs, Cliffs has been committed 
to Minnesota families and communities.
  This 170th anniversary of Cliffs' founding is a remarkable 
achievement. I am pleased to take this opportunity to congratulate 
Cliffs chairman, president, and chief executive officer Lourenco 
Goncalves and the employees of Cliffs on celebrating this occasion. 
Best wishes for much continued success.

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