Honoring Sacrifice and Courage of West Virginia Coal Miners

HONORING SACRIFICE AND COURAGE OF WEST VIRGINIA COAL MINERS -- (House of Representatives - February 08, 2006)

02/08/06

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Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the sponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 331 to honor the now 16 West Virginia miners who have lost their lives in coal-mining accidents this year.

I want to thank the Nation, I want to thank the Nation for their outpouring of concerns, prayers, and sympathy. You have fortified us as West Virginians.

On the morning of January 2, an explosion rocked the Sago Mine in Upshur County, West Virginia. Thirteen men were trapped 260 feet below the surface. One, Randal McCloy, suffered serious injuries resulting from a lack of oxygen, yet he miraculously survived. Twelve other miners, Tom Anderson, Alva M. Bennett, James Bennett, Jerry Groves, Junior Hamner, Terry Helms, Jesse Jones, Dave Lewis, Martin Toler, Fred Ware, Jackie Weaver, and Marshall Winans were killed in that tragedy.

Only 2 weeks later, another accident struck at the Aracoma Alma Mine in Logan County, West Virginia, taking the lives of Don Israel Bragg and Elvis Hatfield. Sadly, just last week, Edmund Vance and Paul Moss were killed in separate mining accidents in Boone County, West Virginia.

These men made the ultimate sacrifice doing a job that is vital to our Nation. Over 50 percent of America's electricity comes from coal, and our West Virginia veins run with an abundance of coal. Mining is the profession most closely identified with West Virginia, not only because of our State's abundant supply of the resource, but because of the character of our people. Coal is in our blood; whether we work in the mines or not, our heritage and our souls are coal-fired. West Virginians are proud and hard-working people with a deep devotion to our country.

Martin Toler, one of the Sago miners wrote to his family while he lay dying in the mine, and I quote, ``It wasn't bad. I just went to sleep. Tell all I see them on the other side. I love you.'' Simple, powerful words with great meaning. The valor of these miners is, in fact was, with them until the end.

The 16 miners who died over the past 5 weeks in our State mines knew the dangers of their work. They knew that over the past century over 100,000 men have lost their lives in coal mining, but they performed their jobs with reliability and a sense of duty to their families, indeed our country. Miners know just how important their jobs are. They know how important it is to our economy across the Nation, and they sacrifice for us.

Author Homer Hickam of Rocket Boys fame, who himself grew up the son of a West Virginia coal miner, wrote and delivered what I thought was an incredible eulogy to the Sago miners. He listed a philosophy of life that exemplifies coal miners and, I think, all West Virginians:

We are proud of who we are.
We stand up for what we believe.
We keep our families together.
We trust in God.
We do what needs to be done.
We are not afraid.

Most of the time we are not thinking of coal miners when we turn on the lights or sit down to watch television. It is easy to take for granted the constant supply of relatively inexpensive electricity we have in this country. It is easy to forget that somebody gave of themselves and risked injury or death to mine the coal that powers the Nation's economy.

Today in the wake of the terrible tragedy at Sago and the death of the miners at the Aracoma Alma and Boone County mines, we as a Congress pause to remember the coal miners. We remember their hard work and sacrifice. We remember that each one of these men was a husband, a grandfather, a father, a brother and a son, and we pray for each of their families as they cope with the loss of a loved one. And we pray for Randal McCloy, who, despite improvements, faces a long road to recovery from his injuries.

This resolution also stands to honor the mine rescue teams who were willing to sacrifice themselves to save others. Rescuers of Sago were eager to enter even before it was safe to do so. Once in the mine, these rescuers demonstrated tremendous courage. And without their work, it is doubtful that Randal McCloy would be with us today.

West Virginia's communities came together during these tragedies, as they always do, to support their friends and neighbors. You see, in West Virginia, we are all family with a special closeness and respect for one another.

During this time I sat and talked with the families at the Sago Baptist Church as we awaited news from their rescuers. The prayers and support of people from across the Upshur County area and the Nation was overwhelming at the church, and this resolution honors the commitment and friendship shown by these folks.

I know that this commitment of community and family not only occurred in Sago, about also in Logan and Boone Counties because, as I said, in West Virginia, we are family.

Through our sorrow, we recognize our duty to do our part to improve safety for our miners. Sixteen West Virginians have been lost this year. While this resolution honors their loss, their legacy must be safe mines. It is important that Congress, State governments, MSHA, mine operators, and miners themselves work in a concerted effort to improve mine health and safety.

The West Virginia delegation has introduced on a bipartisan basis the Federal Mine Safety Act of 2006. I hope my colleagues will support this effort to bring enhanced technology to the mines, improve rescue teams, and ultimately save lives.

We all recognize the dangers of the mining profession, but we must do everything in our power to make underground mining safe. I have seen the pain and suffering in West Virginia at Sago, Logan, and at Boone County, and I do not want to see that suffering again. We must act to prevent similar accidents.

May God bless the lost West Virginia coal miners and their families and friends.

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