III 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 129 

Honoring the 29 coal miners who perished in the explosion at the Upper 

Big Branch Mine in Montcoal, West Virginia, on April 5, 2010, and 

remembering all those who have lost their lives while mining for the 

resources on which the United States relies. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 4, 2011 

Mr. ROCKEFELLER (for himself, Mr. MANCHIN, Mr. HARKIN, Mr. ENZI, Mrs. 

MURRAY, and Mr. ISAKSON) submitted the following resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the 29 coal miners who perished in the explosion 

at the Upper Big Branch Mine in Montcoal, West Virginia, on April 5, 2010, and remembering all those who 

have lost their lives while mining for the resources on 

which the United States relies. 

Whereas West Virginia coal miners and their predecessors 

not only have a strong commitment to providing a good 

living for their families, but also take a deep and patriotic pride in the fact that their work and the energy they 

produce has made the United States strong and free; 

Whereas coal mining has been, and remains, an important 

part of the economy of the United States; 


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•SRES 129 IS 

Whereas coal accounts for nearly 1⁄2 of the electricity produced in the United States; 

Whereas coal has been commercially mined in what is now 

the State of West Virginia since 1810; 

Whereas since 1810, West Virginia miners and their families 

have sacrificed greatly to mine the coal that powers the 

economy of the United States; 

Whereas, on April 5, 2010, 29 heroic and patriotic West Virginia miners tragically lost their lives in an explosion at 

the Upper Big Branch Mine in Montcoal, West Virginia; 

Whereas a search and rescue effort was launched immediately 

following the explosion that involved dozens of courageous volunteers, first responders, and mine rescue teams 

who fearlessly risked their lives to rescue survivors and 

find lost miners; 

Whereas Carl ‘‘Pee Wee’’ Acord, Jason Matthew Atkins, 

Christopher Lee Bell, Sr., Gregory Steven Brock, Kenneth A. Chapman, Sr., Robert Eugene Clark, Cory Davis, 

Charles Timothy Davis, Michael Lee Elswick, William 

Ildon Griffith, Steven J. ‘‘Smiley’’ Harrah, Edward 

‘‘Dean’’ Jones, Richard Keith Lane, William Roosevelt 

Lynch, Joe Marcum, Ronald Lee Maynor, Nicolas D. 

McCroskey, James ‘‘Eddie’’ Mooney, Adam K. Morgan, 

Rex Lane Mullins, Joshua Scott Napper, Howard 

‘‘Boone’’ Payne, Jr., Dillard Earl ‘‘Dewey’’ Persinger, 

Joel R. ‘‘Jody’’ Price, Gary Wayne Quarles, Deward 

Allan Scott, Grover Dale Skeens, Benny Ray Willingham, 

and Ricky L. Workman perished in the explosion at the 

Upper Big Branch Mine; 

Whereas the terrible tragedy broke the hearts of the people 

of the United States; 


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•SRES 129 IS 

Whereas since the beginning of 2010, 77 miners of coal and 

other resources have lost their lives on the job, and thousands more have been injured or diagnosed with occupational illnesses, such as Black Lung disease; 

Whereas the families of the deceased continue to suffer, as 

do those miners who have become seriously injured or ill; 

and 

Whereas Congress has long recognized the need to protect 

the safety and health of miners: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) honors the coal miners who lost their lives 

3 in the explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine in 

4 Montcoal, West Virginia, on April 5, 2010; 

5 (2) extends its continued heartfelt condolences 

6 to the families of the deceased, who are still looking 

7 for answers to the tragedy; 

8 (3) recognizes the hardships faced by survivors 

9 of the tragedy and fellow miners who worked side10 by-side with the deceased; 

11 (4) acknowledges the risks faced by all miners, 

12 as well as the important and often overlooked con13 tributions that miners make to the United States; 

14 (5) expresses its appreciation for the volunteers, 

15 first responders, and mine rescue teams who fear16 lessly risk their lives to save miners after tragedies; 

17 and 


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•SRES 129 IS 

1 (6) reaffirms its commitment to keep miners 

2 safe and healthy on the job. 

Æ 


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