Honoring the sacrifice and courage of the six missing miners and three rescuers who were killed in the Crandall Canyon mine disaster in Utah, and recognizing the rescue crews for their outstanding efforts in the aftermath of the tragedies.

I thank my colleague from California (Ms. Woolsey) for yielding and for bringing this resolution to the floor.

I also can sympathize and empathize with what my colleagues Mr. Matheson and Mr. Bishop and Mr. Cannon have said and the experience through which they have been the last month or longer.

Mr. Speaker, coal mining is a dangerous occupation. Many of these individuals, these brave, courageous individuals that work in coal fields across our Nation and especially those in the Appalachian coal fields that I have the honor of representing will go to work before the sun comes up. They will not see their loved ones again until after the sun has gone down. They will do this for 5, 6, even 7 days a week, never seeing the light of day so that our Nation, as the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Cannon) has said, will be able to have light, so that those in the big cities who automatically turn on their air conditioning and their lights every morning can reflect on from where that power comes.

We in West Virginia have known our share of tragedies, and it is unfortunate that when we look back over the history of our mine safety laws in this Nation that it has taken a tragedy for the Congress to act. It is unfortunate that every mine safety and health law on the books today is written with the blood of our Nation's coal miners. Congress has responded. We did respond, as has been referred to already, in passing the MINER Act after the West Virginia disasters of Sago and Aracoma in my district, and I hope that we will respond again.

The gentlewoman from California has referred to the mine safety legislation introduced by the chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, Mr. Miller, and myself and several other Members of Congress in a bipartisan fashion. This builds upon the MINER Act that this Congress passed and, yes, President Bush signed into law. While I agree we do not know the causes of this latest disaster and we know a little more about the causes of the West Virginia disasters over a year ago, it is important that we take a look at those responsible for enforcing our mine safety laws in this country, those at MSHA, currently serving under a recess appointment director. And it is important that we beef up that agency, that we do all we can within this Congress's power to give them the morale, the authority, and the knowledge that they must enforce our mine safety laws without fears of retribution, that there cannot be the cozy relationships that perhaps have existed in the past between those who inspect our mines and those who operate our mines. That relationship, if it has existed, must no longer exist.

But that is getting into what comes down the pipe later on. What we are here today to do is to praise those miners that lost their lives, all of our Nation's coal miners, in fact, and to pray for their families. We also especially recognize those three brave individuals that went into the bowels of this Earth to try to rescue and find their friends and their fellow workers and lost their lives in the process of trying to save other lives, those mine rescuers. That tragedy was most unfortunate and only made the original tragedy that much worse.

So I join with my colleagues in offering our prayers, in offering our sympathies to the families of the lost miners as well as the rescuers because myself, having spent time with coal miners' families while they wait word from below as to the fate of their loved ones, it is a cruel experience that no individual should have to experience. But, unfortunately, unless the Congress acts and even when we do act, it may yet occur again because mining is a dangerous occupation.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to join both of my colleagues from Utah, as well as, apparently, the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee in expressing our profound sympathies for the Utah families who lost their loved ones at the Crandall Canyon mine. I'm not a miner, but I have been told that unless one has been a miner, it's impossible to understand the profession, the mindset and the courage that is displayed by those who work daily under dangerous conditions so that the rest of us can live in an element of comfort.

Today, this body honors six competent, courageous men who labored to

provide a better future for their families and all of us.

On August 6, the Crandall Canyon mine experienced a shift in the Earth that registered a 4 on the Richter scale at the nearby University of Utah. This left almost 2,000 feet of debris between the working area of the mine and the last known location of these miners. Kerry Allred, Don Erickson, Luis Hernandez, Carlos Payan, Brandon Phillips and Manuel Sanchez were lost in this catastrophe.

In addition, three very courageous heroes sacrificed their lives to rescue their fellow miners. Only miners fully understand this commitment to those they consider brothers. Dale Black, Brandon Kimber, Gary Jensen, miners and a mine safety official lost their lives during this rescue effort. We cannot also forget the five other miners and the Mine Safety and Health Administration officials who were injured in this effort.

Dozens of miners and officials put their life at risk by entering this mine to try and find and recover their colleagues, and over a period of 4 weeks the rescue efforts tried to reach these men through the working section of the mine, as well as horizontally, with seven bore holes drilled in a vain attempt to find the trapped miners. This self-sacrifice has been demonstrated throughout mining history.

I have the firm belief that this life is not finite, and we shall all be reunited again; that these noble men who lost their lives will be reunited with their loved ones in the future. And though the separation may be short, it is extremely difficult for those left behind to bear that separation.

I applaud our colleague, Congressman Matheson, for introducing this resolution, one which deals with the sympathy for those who were involved in this particular effort and as an effort to try and comfort them at this particular time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield to the senior member of our delegation to, once again, signify and symbolize the unity that the entire State feels as we face this disaster. I yield as much time as he may consume to Mr. Cannon of Utah.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson).

Mr. Speaker, though the structure of these resolutions require a Republican and Democrat both to present legislation, on this day when we deal with an issue of comfort, not on politics, this day we are all united as we honor these miners who were trapped and those who worked to find these men. We grieve with their families in our hearts, our prayers, our thoughts. The memory of these nine men will not diminish, and I urge all my colleagues to join with Mr. Matheson, Mr. Cannon, and myself in supporting this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 631) honoring the sacrifice and courage of the six missing miners and three rescuers who were killed in the Crandall Canyon mine disaster in Utah, and recognizing the rescue crews for their outstanding efforts in the aftermath of the tragedies.

Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which Members may insert material relevant to H. Res. 631 into the Record.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution is sponsored by Representative Matheson from Utah where, just last month, six miners and three rescuers were lost in a mine tragedy at the Crandall Canyon mines.

Let me begin by expressing the horror and outrage I felt as I, like millions of other Americans, watched this tragedy unfold last month. First, six miners, working some 1,500 feet underground, were trapped when the mine collapsed. And then three rescuers were killed as they mounted a dangerous operation to rescue their fellow miners. The operation was so dangerous it was actually called off.

The Crandall Canyon disaster joins the other mine tragedies that have occurred in the last 2 years. My heart goes out to the families of the lost miners. My heart goes out to the rescuers who were also killed at Crandall Canyon.

This tragedy is compounded by the fact that the administration and the mining industry have not taken the necessary steps to stop them. There is a background piece on mine safety actually that has been prepared by the staff of the Education and Labor Committee and is available on the committee Web site. I really hope that Members will access this information. The paper actually provides background on the situation prior to the year 2006, the accidents that year, the enactment of the MINER Act, and the work of the committee so far this year. It also includes a summary of the legislation introduced in June of this year by Chairman Miller, by Chairman Rahall, myself and others that are particularly relevant to the incident in Crandall Canyon. And this piece has some initial thoughts on the lessons of Crandall Canyon.

The full committee will be holding a hearing on the Crandall Canyon incident on October 3. Thereafter, the committee will be holding a markup on the legislation on which my subcommittee held a legislative hearing just before the recess. I hope all Members on both sides of the aisle will join us in our effort to bring the mine safety and health laws of this country into the 21st century.

But today, we are not here to talk about deficiencies in the laws or in problems with particular mine operators; rather, we're here to honor those whose lives were lost in this tragedy, all those who tried bravely to rescue them, honoring their families and all who lent a helping hand.

I know Representative Matheson spent hours at the site and with the families, and I commend him for his hard work and courage.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Matheson).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall).

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. And I would like to recognize and thank Chairman Miller and Ranking Member McKeon of the House Education and Labor Committee for their support of this resolution and enabling us to move it to the floor so quickly. I'd also very much like to thank both of my colleagues from Utah, Mr. Bishop and Mr. Cannon, who are here on the floor today also in support of this resolution. And I'd like to acknowledge the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, who is here also to speak on this resolution today.

I rise today to honor the sacrifice and the courage of six missing miners and the three rescuers who died in a mine disaster at the Crandall Canyon coal mine in Huntington, Utah just a few weeks ago. It was in the early hours of August 6, the six miners were trapped when rocks and debris exploded off the walls of the tunnel where they were working more than 1,800 feet underground. And the cave-in created a ground shock that measured 3.9 on the Richter scale at the University of Utah's seismographic center. Very quickly, rescue crews assembled in an effort to locate and reach the six men, but, to date, Kerry Allred, Don Erickson, Juan Carlos Payan, Brandon Phillips, Manuel Sanchez and Jose Luis Hernandez are still missing.

Ground movement, what miners calls bumps or bounces, continued at the mine. During the rescue attempt further disaster struck. Three rescue miners, Gary Jensen, Brandon Kimber, and Dale ``Bird'' Black were killed when once again underground activity caused a burst of rubble to explode off the cavern walls. Rescuers had to literally dig with their hands to get their colleagues out from beneath piles of coal and rocks. Their efforts saved another six rescuers who were injured but are thankfully recovering.

Throughout this catastrophe the local community has remained steadfast. The Emery County Sheriff, his deputies and other first responders worked round the clock to maintain order as private, State and Federal teams maintained the search effort.

Community leaders and the families of these mining towns in Emery and Carbon Counties came together to support the trapped miners' families, the rescuers and the emergency crews. They did what they have always done in coal country during hard times; they held each other close, they hoped, and they prayed.

Today the House honors the missing and the dead. We extend condolences of our Nation to their families. We recognize the many volunteers who rushed to their aid and who provided endless hours of compassionate support.

And finally, we honor the proud heritage of coal mining families. Their skill, their hard work and their dedication contributes to the prosperity and quality of life that each and every one of us enjoys.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 631 and to honor the memories of the miners who lost their lives in the Crandall Canyon mine accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the miners' families and with those miners and the Mine Safety Health Administration personnel killed as well as those injured in subsequent rescue operations.

The Committee on Education and Labor has announced an investigatory hearing for October 3 to begin examining the circumstances surrounding the Crandall Canyon mining accident, including the response to the accident by the Mine Safety Health Administration and other stakeholders. Only then will we be able to determine what steps Congress should take in the aftermath of the Crandall Canyon tragedy to further ensure the safety of our Nation's miners.

As a former member of the South Carolina Mining Council, I plan to continue to track this issue closely. I am committed to maintaining the openness and integrity of this process so that the issue of miner protection receives the fair and comprehensive consideration it deserves.

Coal miners have a very dangerous job, and it is our role to ensure that the conditions in which they work are as safe as possible. We renew our commitment to examining our Nation's mining laws to ensure they are protective for the changing mining environment.

Last year, in the wake of the Sago and other mine disasters, Congress worked in a bipartisan fashion to pass the MINER Act. That legislation took significant steps to improve mining safety. It requires the Mine Safety Health Administration to revise its penalties, increase penalties for major violations to $220,000, undertake several studies regarding mining practices, and to work to improve the technology for communications underground.

No law passed by Congress can console the families of those who have lost loved ones as a result of this tragedy. In the coming months, we will thoroughly review what happened at Crandall Canyon and what steps may be considered to prevent it from happening again. But today we are here to mourn the tragic loss of life at that mine in Utah and pay our respects to the families of these brave miners.

Kerry Allred, Dale Black, Don Erickson, Gary Jensen, Luis Hernandez, Brandon Kimber, Carlos Payan, Brandon Phillips, and Manuel Sanchez. We honor these men today, express our condolences to their families, and recognize the important work of the rescuers who volunteered to enter the mine to try to rescue their fellow miners.

I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this resolution.