Dems’ War on Coal Agenda Hurting Kentucky Jobs
‘It’s cruel to tell struggling coal families that they can’t have a job because some billionaire from San Francisco disagrees with their line of work.’
March 10, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the Senate Democrats’ climate change talk-a-thon:
“There is a depression in Appalachia. An absolute depression.
“Families are losing work because of government attacks on the coal industry. Communities are hurting.
“And tonight you’re going to hear 30 hours of excuses from a group of people who think that’s ok.
“Well it’s not ok. It’s cruel.
“It’s cruel to tell struggling coal families that they can’t have a job because some billionaire from San Francisco disagrees with their line of work.
“Let me relay a message from a Kentucky miner named Howard.
“What you’re going to hear over the next 30 seconds is more important than anything these anti-coal liberals will say over the next 30 hours.
‘I say to you, Mister President of the United States… We're hurting. You say you're the president of the people? Well, we're people too. No one loves the mountains more than we do. We live here. We crawl between them. We get up every morning and we go to the top of a mountain in a strip job in the cold rain and snow to put bread on the table. Come and look at our little children, look at our people, Mr. President. You're not hurting for a job; you've got one. I don't.’
“I’m not sure how anyone can hear something like that and think that attacking coal families is ok.
“And it’s not just coal families who are suffering. I have here two electric bills from a farmer named John in Shelbyville.
“In July 2008, the year before the President took office, Jon’s electric bill was $64.70. In July of 2013, he paid $107.30.
“Same farm. New President. 66% increase.
“That’s a cost increase the people of Kentucky and the nation cannot afford.
“My colleagues say they’ll spend the entire night talking about how we need to wake up and take action.
“I want to challenge them to think about acting in a way that puts these Americans first.
“And not spend 30 hours pretending like they don’t exist.”