Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business for up to 10 minutes. Mr. President, I rise to talk about an issue of incredible…
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business for up to 10 minutes.
Mr. President, I rise to talk about an issue of incredible importance to my home State of West Virginia, to the Presiding Officer's home State of Virginia, and, indeed, to our entire country; that is, the safety of our coal miners.
Unfortunately, during the past 4 years, West Virginia has dealt with three significant mining disasters. On an early morning in January 2006, an explosion rocked through a central West Virginia coal mine killing 12 people. Less than a month later, tragedy struck again at a mine fire in Logan County, where two more miners were lost, and just this past spring, West Virginians mourned, yet again, when 29 of their neighbors were lost in the worst coal mining disaster in nearly a half century.
Through these tragedies, our Nation was sadly reminded of the dangers and risks miners face every day to provide a living for their families and affordable energy for our country. We collectively were reminded how important it is for miners, companies, and regulators to work together to keep our mines safe. Finally, we witnessed how my fellow West Virginians have come together in the midst of crisis and in a time of tragedy.
Yet the story of West Virginia lies not simply in such tragedy but, rather, in the story of thousands of West Virginians who go to work every day to produce nearly half the electricity consumed in this country. It is a story of good-paying jobs with benefits that help form the foundation of strong families and strong communities across my home State. It is a story my predecessor, Robert C. Byrd, knew very well.
In remarks he gave as a young Congressman in his maiden speech on the floor of the House of Representatives nearly 60 years ago, Senator Byrd emphasized the importance of coal in a
speech lamenting our Nation's increasing dependence on foreign oil, remarking in that 1953 speech:
We . . . must pursue not a policy that is detrimental to
the economy of this nation and which impairs its strength
while enriching other nations, but a policy that will
strengthen our beloved country.
Those are words that certainly resonate and ring true today, which is why we should continue our efforts to develop technologies that allow our country to harness this abundant energy source in a cleaner way, such as the bipartisan carbon sequestration bill put forward by Senators Rockefeller and Voinovich.
Coal can and must be a part of the solution to the energy challenges of the 21st century. West Virginians know this and understand that our future depends on our ability as a nation to extract and burn coal more cleanly. West Virginians simply want to be part of that conversation and part of the solution.
As we move forward to ensure coal's vital role in the future of our economy, we must simultaneously also keep our focus on assuring that mines remain safe. It is not simply about preventing or investigating a large-scale disaster when that may capture the attention of the Nation and the world for a brief period of time. Rather, when tragedy strikes in a coal mine, it is usually far away from satellite trucks, international media, and the glare of television cameras. All too often, when a coal miner is seriously injured or perishes or succumbs after a battle with black lung disease, it is simply a community and a family who mourns quietly.
I would note that in addition to the 29 miners lost at Upper Big Branch, another 15 coal miners have been killed on the job so far this year, and it is only September.
Sadly, these deaths often go unnoticed by the country at large. The loss is just as great and just as tragic to the families, which is why everyone must remain committed to coal mine safety each and every day and each and every shift.
I know my colleagues in the Senate understand this and have taken this responsibility seriously. The changes brought about in 2006 after Sago and Aracoma were significant and positive. I was privileged to have played a small role in drafting legislation in West Virginia to help form part of the basis for the Federal MINER Act--the first comprehensive mine safety legislation passed by Congress in nearly 30 years.
Our work, however, is not complete. In his final months of service to West Virginia and our Nation, Senator Byrd was working with Senator Rockefeller to craft and push additional mine safety legislation. During my brief tenure in this body, that has been a fight I have been honored to carry on. Although these efforts may not be completed during my tenure, I have every confidence that the Senate will continue its hard work on passing additional coal mine safety legislation.
There are serious issues that additional legislation needs to address. We need comprehensive and targeted inspections and increased transparency in mine safety recordkeeping. We need a sophisticated and effective way to separate good operators from the bad. For those who are irresponsible, we need enhanced oversight and enhanced penalties. We need to strengthen protection for miners who speak out about unsafe conditions and make certain their livelihoods are not jeopardized when they choose to do so.
Although my time in the Senate is not long, it has been and will always remain my enduring privilege to have served in this body alongside so many dedicated public servants, including and especially my friend, colleague, and senior Senator from West Virginia, Jay Rockefeller. My remarks here today are on behalf of the State we represent and her people whom we both revere.
No coal miner should have to go to work fearing for his safety, and no coal miner should fear for his job for raising concerns about that safety. Coal mine safety is workplace safety, and it is the right thing for our country to do.
I yield the floor.