Jan. 17—A West Virginia and Virginia lawmaker will help co-chair the relaunched Congressional Coal Caucus for the 119th Congress.
U.S. Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.Va, announced Thursday that she would co-chair the coal-caucus with U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va. Miller represents Southern West Virginia in the Third Congressional District where active coal mining operations are underway. Griffith represents the Southwest Virginia region — also home to active coal mining operations — in Virginia’s 9th Congressional District.
U.S. Rep Harriet Hageman, R-WY and U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., also will serve as co-chairs on the Congressional Coal Caucus.
Miller said the coal caucus serves as the voice of American coal communities in Congress, representing mining states such as West Virginia and Virginia.
“The coal industry provides thousands of jobs for hard working Americans and keeps our nation running,” Miller said in a prepared statement Thursday. “West Virginia produces around 166,000 pounds of United States’ coal. Unfortunately, this critical energy resource is under attack from far-left climate activists. That’s why I am glad to re-launch the Congressional Coal Caucus with my fellow co-chairs.”
Miller said the goal of the coal caucus is to implement policies that strengthen the U.S. energy industry and the national economy.
“I am confident that with the support of the Trump-Vance administration and Congress’ efforts, U.S. coal production will thrive,” Miller added.
“I am proud to continue serving as a Co-Chair of the Congressional Coal Caucus,” Griffith added Thursday in a prepared statement. “The continuation of the Coal Caucus is recognition that America’s coal industry has much to bring to the table. In my roles as Co-Chair of the Coal Caucus and the Chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Environment, I will continue advocating for policies that promote America’s natural resources, including coal, in the production of reliable, affordable energy. With a new administration, the Congressional Coal Caucus is an energized force ready to deliver solutions for Americans’ energy needs.”
The goals of the relaunched Coal Caucus include oversight on EPA’s power plant agenda, grid reliability legislation, rail service reliability, support for future coal use, promoting policies to facilitate coal exports, oversight on DOI’s federal coal leasing program review, and support for pro-coal tax policies.
Contact Charles Owens at
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— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com. Follow him @BDTOwens