Clinton Calls for Passage of the Miners Protection Act

Hillary Clinton released a statement on Thursday calling for the passage of the the bipartisan Miners Protection Act, a bill sponsored by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Joe Manchin (D-WV). The plan would rescue the pension offered by the United Mine Workers (UMW) and ensure that retired miners continue to receive their benefits. UMW will be on Capitol Hill on Thursday to gather support for the bill. In her statement, Clinton expresses her support of the act saying that it will ensure that miners receive the benefits they have earned. A copy of Clinton’s statement is below.

“I firmly believe that if you spent your life keeping the lights on for our country, we can’t leave you in the dark. For more than a century, America’s coal miners have put their own health and safety at risk to provide affordable and reliable energy for the nation. They are entitled to the benefits they have earned and the respect they deserve.

That’s why I am proud to stand with Senator Joe Manchin and the United Mine Workers of America in calling on Congressional Republicans to stop playing politics and give the Miners Protection Act a vote before the benefits of these hardworking men and women start expiring later this year.

We also have a shared responsibility to reinvest in the coal communities that have been an engine of American economic growth. That’s why last fall, I proposed a comprehensive revitalization and job creation plan including building 21st-century infrastructure and high-speed broadband, repurposing abandoned minelands and power plants to support new economic activity, and creating a Coal Communities Challenge Fund to support locally-driven economic development priorities in small business, agriculture, health care, tourism, housing, and other industries.

And we need to invest in carbon capture and sequestration, which will reduce emissions from coal and natural gas combustion, and will help us meet the global climate challenge more quickly and at lower cost, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. That’s why I support Senator Heidi Heitkamp and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’s Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Act, which Senator Kaine has also co-sponsored.”

Throughout her campaign, Hillary Clinton has stood up for the healthcare and retirement security of American miners and their families and challenged attempts by coal companies, including Patriot Coal, Peabody Energy, Alpha Natural Resources, and Walter Energy to use bankruptcy courts to shirk their responsibilities.

While under pressure some of these companies have since reversed course, a federal backstop is required to protect coal miners, their families, and their communities. Hillary Clinton has called for such a backstop as part of her plan to revitalize coal communities.

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News Source: Bloomberg, Vincennes Sun-Commercial, Charleston Gazette-Mail

Hillary Clinton Pens Op-ed about her Plans to Help Appalachia

Following a series of conversations in Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio, Hillary Clinton wrote a piece for Medium outlining her plan to assist Appalachian cities affected by the decline in demand for steel and coal. Her plan, which was outlined last November, calls for the securing of the health care and pension benefits of miners, invest in bringing more good-paying jobs to the region, invest in education and training programs, and protect families that have been affected by conditions, such as black lung, and denied proper health care coverage. Clinton faces an up-hill battle in Appalachia, and she is hoping that focusing on the area early in campaign will help bring voters out for her in November. Read the full op-ed HERE.

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News Source: Medium

Hillary Clinton Kicks off “Breaking Down Barriers” Tour in Appalachia

Today, Hillary Clinton began a series of events that she is calling the “Breaking Down Barriers” tour. The goal of the tour is to speak with small groups of voters and get a better understanding of their concerns. During her first event in Ashland, Kentucky, Clinton met with workers at Alma’s Italian Cafe where she outlined her plan to help coal communities. She compared her plan to the “Marshall Plan,” the plan that rebuilt Western Europe following World War II, saying that the three main parts would protect health and pension benefits of miners, research how coal can be a clean part of America’s energy future, and invest in alternative energy. She also spoke about her plans to entice more businesses to keep their manufacturing operations in the United States.

Clinton then traveled to Williamson, West Virginia where she was met by a number of protestors who took issue with recent comments Clinton made about the coal industry. During the event, Clinton apologized for the comments saying that her comments were taken out of context. She said, “What I was saying is that, the way things are going now, we will continue to lose jobs. That’s what I meant to say. I do feel a little bit sad and sorry that I gave folks the reason or the excuse to be so upset with me because that is not what I intended at all.” Clinton visited with miners who have lost their jobs and community leaders who are struggling with unemployed citizens. She vowed to support West Virginia and towns that rely heavily on coal mining for survival even if the state does not support her in the primary or November. Videos from today’s events will be added when/if available.

Meanwhile, fundraisers were being held for Hillary for America across the country. Chelsea Clinton was in Washington, DC where she attended a fundraiser. Also in Washington, DC, Campaign Chair John Podesta attended a fundraiser along with policy advisors Ann O’Leary and Jennifer Klein. In Brookline, Massachusetts, a fundraising event was held at the home of John Reinstein and retired Judge Nancy Gertner. Attending the event was former Attorney General Eric Holder. In Portland, Oregon, Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan and actress Kathleen Turner were on hand to kickoff a phone bank effort.

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News Source: ABC News, The Washington Post, Mother Jones, Lexington Herald-Leader, West Virginia Metro News