HCR331FEB10

TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending February 10, 2006

H.CON.RES.331 Honoring the sacrifice and courage of the 12 coal miners killed and the stamina and courage of the one who survived the mine disaster in Sago, West Virginia, and the sacrifice and courage of the two coal miners killed in the Aracoma Alma mine disaster, and recognizing the rescue crews for their outstanding efforts in the aftermath of the tragedies.

The Resolution honors the 13 miners trapped in West Virginia’s Sago mine and the 12 who died and the two who died in the Aracoma Alma Mine shortly after. The Resolution preamble, however, sets the honorarium in the context of the role of coal in American society.

The US holds 275,000,000,000 billion tons of coal and Americans use about 7,600 pounds of coal per year. That coal makes it out of the ground through the efforts of coal miners who extract seven tons of coal per miner per day.

Coal miner injuries are not uncommon: 100,000 miners have been killed in mine accidents over the past 100 years. A testimony, perhaps, of “the difficult and dangerous work they perform to provide the fuel needed to operate the Nation's industries and to provide energy to homes and businesses.”

Sponsor: Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV-2^nd)

Vote: Passed House by voice vote

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost.

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Whereas coal generates more than half of domestic electricity, providing millions of Americans with energy for their homes and businesses;

Whereas West Virginia is the Nation's second largest coal producing State;

Whereas an average of 7,600 pounds of coal per person per year is used in the United States;

Whereas the United States has an estimated 275,000,000,000 tons of recoverable coal reserves representing about 95 percent of all fossil fuel reserves in the nation;

Whereas coal continues to be the economic engine for many communities;

Whereas coal miners are among the most productive of all American workers, producing 7 tons of coal per miner per day, which results in coal consistently being the most cost-effective choice for generating electricity in the United States;

Whereas during the last century over 100,000 coal miners have been killed in mining accidents in the Nation's coal mines;

Whereas the Nation is greatly indebted to coal miners for the difficult and dangerous work they perform to provide the fuel needed to operate the Nation's industries and to provide energy to homes and businesses;

Whereas 13 West Virginia miners were trapped 260 feet below the surface in the Sago mine for over 40 hours following an explosion on January 2, 2006;

Whereas Federal, State, and local rescue crews worked relentlessly in an attempt to save the miners;

Whereas many residents of Upshur County, West Virginia, and the surrounding areas came together at the Sago Baptist Church to support the miners' families;

Whereas 12 miners, Thomas Anderson, Alva Martin Bennett, Jim Bennett, Jerry Groves, George Hamner Jr., Terry Helms, David Lewis, Martin Toler, Fred Ware Jr., Jack Weaver, Jesse Jones, and Marshall Winans, lost their lives on January 3, 2006;

Whereas only one miner, Randal McCloy, was safely rescued;

Whereas 2 West Virginia miners were trapped by a fire in the Aracoma Alma Mine on January 19, 2006; and

Whereas Don Israel Bragg and Ellery `Elvis' Hatfield lost their lives in the Aracoma Alma Mine: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress--

(1) recognizes Thomas Anderson, Alva Martin Bennett, Jim Bennett, Jerry Groves, George Hamner Jr., Terry Helms, David Lewis, Martin Toler, Fred Ware Jr., Jack Weaver, Jesse Jones, and Marshall Winans for their sacrifice in the Sago, West Virginia, coal mine;

(2) recognizes Don Israel Bragg and Ellery `Elvis' Hatfield for their sacrifice in the Aracoma Alma, West Virginia coal mine;

(3) extends the deepest condolences of the Nation to the families of these men;

(4) recognizes Randal McCloy for his stamina and courage that enabled him to survive in severe conditions for over 40 hours;

(5) recognizes the rescue crews for their outstanding effort resulting in the safe rescue of Randal McCloy; and

(6) recognizes the many volunteers who provided support for the miners' families during the rescue operations.

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