The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“NATIONAL MINERS DAY” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H9626-H9627 on Dec. 5, 2017.
The Department provides billions in unemployment insurance, which peaked around 2011 though spending had declined before the pandemic. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, claimed the Department funds "ineffective and duplicative services" and overregulates the workplace.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
NATIONAL MINERS DAY
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Byrne) for 5 minutes.
Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate National Miners Day.
National Miners Day is recognized on December 6 each year, and I want to express my deep appreciation to the hundreds of thousands of men and women who work in our Nation's quarries, dredge operations, and other mine facilities to help build and power our Nation.
These workers do a great deal to extract the materials found in every home, building, road, bridge, and public works project.
U.S. domestic production and use of stone, sand, and gravel, or aggregates, amounted to 2.5 million tons of crushed stone, valued at
$25 billion. The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration has reported that, throughout its 40 facilities, almost 3,000 people in my home State of Alabama owe their jobs to aggregates mining.
While performing this critical function, workers in the aggregates sector have helped make workplaces the safest they have ever been. In fact, 2016 marked the 16th consecutive year in which the industry reduced its injury rate from the year-earlier level. The rate stood at the record low level of just 1.95 injuries per 200,000 hours worked.
I applaud the safe practices of the aggregates industry and the hardworking men and women who are helping to continue this positive trend.
As chairman of the House Workforce Protections Subcommittee, I look forward to continuing to work with the Labor Department's Mine Safety and Health Administration to advance smart regulation and preventive enforcement that can help keep the workplace safe.
Honoring the Life of Dr. Laurel Blackwell
Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of Dr. Laurel Blackwell. Laurel recently passed away after fighting cancer and other medical issues.
Laurel was raised at her childhood farm home in Monticello, Iowa. She obtained an associate's degree from Cottey College in Missouri and a bachelor's degree from the University of Northern Iowa. She later earned her doctorate in administration of higher education from the University of Alabama.
After an early career in K-12 education, she started working in Alabama's community college system. She rose from serving as a tutor to becoming the director of adult education at Wallace Community College in Dothan, Alabama, and the director of workforce development at Southern Union Community College in Opelika, Alabama. Ultimately, she would become the president of Chattahoochee Valley Community College in Phenix City, Alabama.
During my time as chancellor of Alabama's community college system, I grew to know Laurel as a very professional and dependable colleague. I appreciated her honest and direct approach to the issues we faced together.
During her career, she held numerous roles in professional and civic organizations. She was recognized with a Girl Scout Woman of Achievement award and as the city of Dothan's first ever Community Leader of the Year.
Even though she retired from education, she never stopped working to make the world a better place. She launched Communities of Transformation, a program through the United Methodist Church focused on bringing together people from every segment of society to elevate families.
Suffice it to say, Laurel had a positive impact on so many lives throughout her time on this Earth. Whether it was helping a student at her community college reach their full potential or giving hope to a struggling family, so many people owe their success to Laurel Blackwell.
So, on behalf of Alabama's First Congressional District, I want to share my deepest condolences to Laurel's husband, Fred, and their four children. I hope they can all take comfort in knowing that Laurel will live on in the lives of the countless individuals she touched. She will be sorely missed.
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