THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY PASHINSKI, PYLE, HARHAI, BISHOP, BOBACK, BOYD, BRENNAN, BROOKS, V. BROWN, CALTAGIRONE, CARROLL, CLYMER, COHEN, D. COSTA, CREIGHTON, CUTLER, DAVIS, DeLUCA, DeWEESE, DONATUCCI, FABRIZIO, FLECK, GEIST, GEORGE, GERGELY, GIBBONS, GILLEN, GILLESPIE, GOODMAN, GRELL, HALUSKA, HARKINS, HEFFLEY, HENNESSEY, HESS, HORNAMAN, HUTCHINSON, JOHNSON, JOSEPHS, KNOWLES, KORTZ, KULA, MAHONEY, MANN, MARSHALL, MILLARD, MILLER, MIRABITO, MULLERY, MUNDY, MURPHY, MURT, M. O'BRIEN, O'NEILL, READSHAW, K. SMITH, STABACK AND TOOHIL, APRIL 13, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 13, 2011  

A RESOLUTION

Urging the Federal Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee to

recommend to the United States Postal Service that, in

recognition of the deaths of more than 100,000 coal miners,

an image of an American coal miner be placed on the face of a

United States postage stamp.

WHEREAS, Year after year, Federal and state resolutions of

legislatures are presented and written into the official

government record; and

WHEREAS, A new set of Federal postage stamps illustrating

plants, vegetables, trees, animals, cartoon characters, insects,

fish, birds, seashells and even snowflakes are recommended to

and approved by the Federal Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee

based on such resolutions; and

WHEREAS, There is no postage stamp recognizing the tremendous

contribution of coal miners to the success of our country; and

WHEREAS, The Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee passes on

approving the American Coal Miner Stamp yearly, despite the fact

that coal miners and their families have helped shape the

history and culture of the United States and Pennsylvania, and

thousands of petitions are distributed and signed to recognize

that more than 100,000 coal miners died as they excavated the

fuel for our country's Industrial Revolution; and

WHEREAS, The United States and this Commonwealth are indebted

to all coal miners who work in difficult and dangerous

conditions and to the hundreds of thousands of people who have

suffered from lung disease and other maladies caused by working

in unsafe and unhealthy mine conditions; and

WHEREAS, Coal miners have fueled our nation's economic engine

and ensured our military security by providing coal, not just

for the generation of power, but as an essential element in the

steel-making process; and

WHEREAS, The coal miners that died knew the risks involved,

but they were proud to take that risk, and they labored in the

company of good and loyal friends in order to earn an honest

paycheck which provided for their families; and

WHEREAS, The idea of issuing a United States postage stamp to

honor the efforts of the American coal miner has received

positive and complimentary support; and

WHEREAS, The people of this Commonwealth and of the country

at large support honoring American coal miners with a postage

stamp for the important contributions they have made to our

country; and

WHEREAS, The Coal Miners Stamp Committee of Northeastern

Pennsylvania supports the creation of a stamp that recognizes

the American coal miner; and

WHEREAS, The Coal Miners Stamp Committee of Northeastern

Pennsylvania has agreed to organize a nationwide campaign to

educate and inform the American public on the importance of this

project; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the Federal

Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee to approve a United States

postage stamp in recognition of the deaths of more than 100,000

coal miners by placing an image of an American coal miner on the

face of a United States postage stamp; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted by

the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives to the Federal

Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the

Governor, Lieutenant Governor, the Majority Leader of the

Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and all

members of the General Assembly to contact their counterparts in

other coal mining states to implore them to promote the American

Coal Miner Stamp initiative.