Senator McConnell Joins Kentuckians at "Stand Up for American Coal Jobs Rally" in Nation's Capital

Press Release

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell joined hundreds of Kentucky coal miners and their families Wednesday at the "Stand Up for American Coal Jobs Rally" on Capitol Hill. Senator McConnell believes that coal is a vital part of our economy and it must remain a key component of our nation's energy strategy.

Senator McConnell thanked the hundreds of Kentuckians who traveled to Washington to express their support for coal. "Let's hear it for Kentucky Coal," McConnell told the crowd as he took the stage. "It's great to see all of you here standing up for coal. I don't know where America would be without coal."

"Coal is under assault in this town. This Administration and Congress have been the most anti-coal in the history of the country and we must continue to keep up the fight to protect the tens of thousands of Kentucky jobs that rely on coal."

McConnell also told the crowd that "Cap and Trade -- the national energy tax -- is dead in the United States Senate," but the Administration may still try to make it happen through EPA regulations and we must find a way to stop that too.

"We must continue to remind them what coal does to power America," McConnell said. Coal powers America and keeps utility rates low. Currently, over half of the nation's electricity comes from coal and Kentuckians enjoy some of the lowest electricity rates in the nation as a result of coal. Senator McConnell added, "We must work to develop clean coal technology, because we've got a lot of it and it's ours and we don't have to import it from anywhere else in the world."

The coal industry provides nearly 80,000 jobs in Kentucky, including more than 18,000 coal miners.

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