PRINTER'S NO. 2503
No. 410 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY DeWEESE, HARHAI, SOLOBAY, GEORGE, ARGALL, BELFANTI, BENNINGTON, BEYER, BOBACK, BRENNAN, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CAUSER, CLYMER, COHEN, COSTA, CREIGHTON, DALEY, DePASQUALE, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, EACHUS, ELLIS, J. EVANS, FAIRCHILD, FLECK, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GALLOWAY, GEIST, GIBBONS, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARKINS, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HICKERNELL, HORNAMAN, JAMES, JOSEPHS, KENNEY, KORTZ, KOTIK, KULA, LENTZ, MAHONEY, MANN, MANTZ, MARKOSEK, McCALL, McILHATTAN, MELIO, MILLARD, R. MILLER, MUSTIO, BASTIAN, MUNDY, MYERS, SHAPIRO, NAILOR, SHIMKUS, D. O'BRIEN, S. H. SMITH, M. O'BRIEN, SONNEY, PALLONE, SWANGER, PARKER, STABACK, PAYNE, PETRARCA, O'NEILL, PETRONE, PHILLIPS, QUIGLEY, VEREB, RAMALEY, YOUNGBLOOD, READSHAW, WALKO, REED, YUDICHAK, REICHLEY, VULAKOVICH, ROHRER, TRUE, ROSS, SABATINA, STERN, SAINATO, SAMUELSON, SANTONI, SURRA, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, WATSON, SEIP AND EVERETT, SEPTEMBER 26, 2007
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, SEPTEMBER 26, 2007
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1 Designating December 19, 2007, as "Coal Miner's Day" in 2 Pennsylvania in appreciation, honor and remembrance of the 3 accomplishments and sacrifices of coal miners in this 4 Commonwealth. 5 WHEREAS, The number of coal miners who have died on the job 6 in this Commonwealth since 1870 totals 51,509, which consists of 7 31,118 underground anthracite fatalities and 20,391 underground 8 bituminous fatalities; and 9 WHEREAS, In 1907, the deadliest year in United States and 10 Pennsylvania coal mining history, 3,242 miners were killed, 11 including 1,514 miners from Pennsylvania; and
1 WHEREAS, On December 19, 1907, a dust and gas explosion 2 claimed the lives of 239 miners in the Darr Mine in Van Meter, 3 Westmoreland County, marking the deadliest accident in 4 Pennsylvania mining history; and 5 WHEREAS, The General Assembly recognizes the significance of 6 coal mining to the history and vitality of this Commonwealth and 7 its economy; and 8 WHEREAS, Coal mining is safer today because the industry, its 9 miners and government are working together to make the safety of 10 miners the highest priority, thereby significantly reducing the 11 frequency of accidents and fatalities; and 12 WHEREAS, The near-catastrophe and successful rescue of nine 13 miners at the Quecreek Mine in Somerset County in July 2002, the 14 deaths of 12 miners at the Sago Mine in West Virginia in January 15 2006 and the tragedy involving the six miners and three rescue 16 workers at the Crandall Canyon Mine in Utah in August 2007 serve 17 as stark reminders of the dangers related to mining; and 18 WHEREAS, Coal miners who have perished in Pennsylvania coal 19 mine accidents and disasters and the families they left behind 20 should not be forgotten; and 21 WHEREAS, On the centennial of the Darr Mine disaster, the 22 General Assembly seeks to designate December 19, 2007, as "Coal 23 Miner's Day" in Pennsylvania in appreciation, honor and 24 remembrance of the accomplishments and sacrifices of coal miners 25 in this Commonwealth; and 26 WHEREAS, Part of the day on December 19, 2007, should be set 27 aside for quiet contemplation to honor those brave miners; and 28 WHEREAS, The General Assembly urges the Governor to issue a 29 proclamation designating December 19, 2007, as "Coal Miner's 30 Day" in Pennsylvania; therefore be it 20070H0410R2503 - 2 -
1 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly 2 designate December 19, 2007, as "Coal Miner's Day" in 3 Pennsylvania in appreciation, honor and remembrance of the 4 accomplishments and sacrifices of miners in this Commonwealth; 5 and be it further 6 RESOLVED, That on December 19, 2007, at least part of the day 7 be set aside for quiet contemplation to honor those brave 8 miners; and be it further 9 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to 10 the Governor requesting his issuance of a proclamation to 11 proclaim December 19, 2007, as "Coal Miner's Day" in 12 Pennsylvania. I12L82JKL/20070H0410R2503 - 3 -