Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 120.djvu/3741

 120 STAT. 3710

CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS—FEB. 9, 2006

WEST VIRGINIA COAL MINERS AND VOLUNTEERS—HONORING SACRIFICE AND COURAGE

Feb. 9, 2006 [H. Con. Res. 331]

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; Whereas Don Israel Bragg and Ellery ‘‘Elvis’’ Hatfield lost their lives in the Aracoma Alma Mine; Whereas 2 West Virginia miners lost their lives in separate incidents in Boone County on February 1, 2006; and Whereas Edmund Vance perished in the Long Branch No. 18 Mine and Paul Moss perished at the Elk Run Black Castle 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

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