WASHINGTON, D.C. - Joining together in a sign of solidarity with the hardworking coal miners of West Virginia and those across America, several West Virginia elected officials moved to designate a national day to honor them.

U.S. Reps. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), Alan Mollohan (D-WV), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), along with U.S. Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller (both D-WV), introduced legislation this week in the congress to support the goals and ideals of a National Miner’s Day.

The National Miner’s Day resolution will serve to commemorate the work and sacrifice of miners past and present, as well demonstrate support for the jobs of miners well into the future.

“Miners today must contend not only with health and safety hazards in the field, but with uncertainty about their future. We owe them our earnest hard work to shape a national energy policy that will ensure their gainful employment in the coalfields for many years to come,” said Sen. Byrd, the primary sponsor of the senate resolution.

The resolution was sent to Rahall’s office by the Mingo County Young Democrats’ Justin Marcum, who said he fashioned the resolution after the one which passed the West Virginia House (97-0) earlier this year.

“Our hard-working miners show up to work every day to make sure that the lights turn on all across America. I am proud to join with the rest of the West Virginia delegation in introducing this resolution,” said Sen. Rockefeller.

“I contend that we also have an obligation to do all we can to ensure that our miners simply have work. We need to pay acute attention to the effects that the decisions we make in Washington will have on the men and women, the families, and the communities back home who have, for generations, provided the natural energy resources that fuel America.  These hard-working, selfless, earnest men and women, their livelihoods, their way of life, and the future of their families and their communities are at stake,” said Rep. Rahall.

“There are few professions more central to the history of our country than coal mining.  Coal powered our industrial revolution, fueled our trains and ships, continues to give us plentiful supplies of affordable electricity, and holds the key to our energy future.  Coal mining has never been an easy job, but it has always been one to take great pride in.  National Miner’s Day is an opportunity for all of America to share that recognition,” said Rep. Mollohan.

“At a time when coal is under fire in Washington, it’s even more important that we recognize the important contribution coal miners continue to make across our state and nation.  Our miners work hard to provide the nation with a reliable energy resource, and they deserve a united front of support from their congressional delegation.  I was proud to join my state colleagues in the house as we stood together in opposition to the troublesome cap-and-trade bill, and I hope we can continue to work in unison in the weeks and months ahead to ensure that West Virginia miners get a fair shake,” said Rep. Capito.

The legislation introduced in the House (H. Con. Res. 208) has been introduced by Rep. Rahall, and co-sponsored by Reps. Mollohan and Capito.

To contact Congressman Nick Rahall’s office in support of a National Coal Miner Appreciation Day you can call (202) 225-3452 or (304) 752-4934 or you can write his Washington Office at 2307 Rayburn HOB, Washington, D.C. 20515. Also, to contact Senator Robert C. Byrd in support of this day you can call (304) 342-5855.