Charleston, WV – Approximately five thousand coal miners, energy workers, families and supporters from across West Virginia and the country will converge on the west side of the United States Capitol on Tuesday to proclaim their support for the coal industry and the hundreds of thousands of jobs and families it supports, representatives from the West Virginia Coal Association announced.
“We are going to Washington to show the support that exists for the people of our country’s mining industry and to put a face to the drastic job crushing policies coming out of this Administration,” said Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association.
“This administration’s policies are crippling the coal industry, and so much more. Jobs are being destroyed in electric generation, manufacturing, construction, agriculture and across the economy. There is a growing army of Americans who have been pushed aside by this president, creating heart break and misery in hundreds of thousands of homes.”“We plan to highlight these anti-energy initiatives and ask our congressional supporters to help us any way they can,” Raney said. “Our people helped build America into a world-respected leader and they are ready today to bring energy security and independence to this great nation. They are the best coal miners in the world and are being victimized by the policies of this administration. We will work with them, but they don’t seem to want to work with us.”
Buses will be departing West Virginia from Logan, Huntington, Danville, Beckley, Morgantown and other areas early Tuesday morning to make it to Washington, D.C. in time for the 11:00 a.m. rally. The event will feature more than 30 industry leaders, congressional representatives and state officials.
Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, head of the Congressional Coal Caucus, will emcee the event. Senator Joe Manchin, Congressman Nick Rahall and Congressman David McKinley are slated to participate, as is Governor Earl Ray Tomblin. .
For additional information, contact the West Virginia Coal Association at (304) 342-4153.