FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 21, 2016
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:
“I am very pleased that the Senate Finance Committee voted today to approve the Miners Protection Act, Senate Bill 1714. It has been a long fight to gain a congressional committee’s approval of this critical legislation.
“The fact that we have achieved this goal is due to the very hard work of the sponsors of this legislation, Senator Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) and Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), along with our stalwart supporters on the Finance Committee, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Oh.), Senator Rob Portman (R-Oh.), Senator Ron Wyden (D-Or.), Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa).
“I also want to thank the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Ut.), for his support and leadership on this issue.
“Now that this important first step has been achieved, it is vital that Congress move as quickly as possible to finally pass this legislation that will mean so much to the lives of thousands of senior citizens across America. There is no more time to waste.”
