Manchin Wraps Up ‘Fighting For Every Job’ Tour With Visit to Consol Energy Robinson Run Coal Mine to See New Mine Communication Technology
Manchin will also visit Preston County Courthouse, participate in the Kenneth “Honey” Rubenstein Charity Basketball Event with Randy Moss, Pat White, Quincy Wilson and Landau Eugene Murphy Jr.
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) wrapped up his two-week “Fighting for Every Job” tour today with a visit to the CONSOL Energy Robinson Run Coal Mine, where he saw a demonstration of new mine communication technology. The technology is designed to allow trapped miners to communicate with rescuers on the surface in an emergency situation.
“After our horrible mine tragedies in West Virginia – especially after the Sago and Aracoma disasters, and most recently Upper Big Branch – I knew we needed to have tracking and communications technology in our mines so we would be able to get to our trapped miners as quickly as possible in case of an emergency. At the time, that technology did not exist. We passed legislation in 2006 with the determination to create the safest conditions for our miners.
“Here we are six years later, with very promising technology being developed. This shows that our determination to have the safest workplace for our miners is achievable if you put safety first, above all else. For that I am grateful to the legislature and everyone who worked so hard when we passed this legislation in 2006.
“I was delighted to be at the CONSOL Energy Robinson Run Coal Mine today to see this promising technology that is now being developed and tested. That hopefully will make our mining operations much safer so we can get to a trapped miner with life-saving speed.”
Following his visit to the mine, Senator Manchin held an open meeting on economic development at the Preston County Courthouse. In the evening, he will play in the Kenneth “Honey” Rubenstein Charity Basketball Event in Davis, an event that is all about giving the young men at the Rubenstein center a second chance to be successful and make positive contributions to society.
Today’s events conclude Senator Manchin’s “Fighting for Every Job” tour, during which he highlighted the connection between jobs and energy independence, his agenda to help small businesses succeed, how to revitalize American manufacturing, the importance of training the workforce through higher education, and his growing effort to hire unemployed veterans.
Some of the highlights of his tour included a major address at John Amos power plant, where Senator Manchin spoke about the connection between energy and jobs. He visited Marshall University’s Forensic Science Center, a facility that is truly training students for jobs of the future. Senator Manchin spoke about the importance of growing our small businesses during the Dynamic Networking for Small Businesses event in Fairmont, and toured many businesses in Wheeling and Washington, West Virginia. He also highlighted his commonsense agenda to lower gas prices in Wheeling.
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