Kevin Altice's Story

Floor Speech

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Mr. JENKINS of West Virginia. Mr. Speaker, the war on coal is a reality in West Virginia.

Let me introduce to you Kevin Altice of Mount Hope. He describes himself as a former coal miner. Why? Because he lost his job just a few months ago. He is now going back to school, but he worries about his fellow miners trying to find jobs.

Kevin is a West Virginia coal voice. Here is what he wrote to me:

``A lot of coworkers have had to move out of State for employment, a sad trend that needs to stop.

``Luckily, my wife is a schoolteacher, which helps on our income, but we have seen how the downturn in the coal industry has even impacted our education system.

``We, as West Virginians, are in dire times, and something needs done to protect our futures.''

That is Kevin's story.

As we work to diversify our State's economy, we cannot forget about providing education and retraining for these miners. My bill, the Assisting America's Dislocated Miners Act, will help provide retraining opportunities for more miners like Kevin. Our coal miners are hardworking, determined, and proud to provide for their families. All they need is a chance.

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