U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) delivered remarks Thursday at a memorial service for the 65th Anniversary of the Nellis-Armco Mine Explosion, which tragically claimed the lives of eleven Boone County miners in 1943.  Text of the Congressman Rahall’s remarks follows:
 

    Thank you, Mickey Brown -- County Commissioner -- for that kind introduction.   I want to thank Sue Bair, President of the Boone County Historic Landmark Commission, for inviting me to be here today.   Sue, you and Mickey, and your Secretary Treasurer Judy McComas, and Ethel Halstead, and Ann Turley have all done a great job organizing this event.   Your work as Members of the Landmark Commission is truly valued. 
   
    I am honored to join you all on this very special occasion.  

    Sixty-five years ago, on November 6, 1943, at 7:00 p.m., here in the heart of Boone County, an explosion ripped through part of the Armco Number 3 Mine, ending the lives of eleven good men. 

    Though it is the marking of that tragedy that brings us together today, we would be missing the greater point -- and failing those miners -- if we were to walk away from this gathering thinking that we were here only to commemorate that moment from the past.   

    At the height of its operations, the Nellis Armco mine, like so many other mines, drew together individuals from an enormous range of backgrounds, ages, colors, and experiences.  As is the tradition of the coal miner, those men formed a bond. 

    One man relied upon another, above ground as well as under.  Life intersected life.  Dream intersected dream.  And, on November 6, 1943, grief intersected grief.

    Thanks to the good work of many people here in Nellis, the records of that mine disaster and of this community have been carefully collected, organized, and preserved in the Nellis Community Church.   There they remain for all of us to see, to study and to learn from. 

    How appropriate that a former place of worship -- also a former school -- would be selected to house these archives.  Because, in this special way, the building continues to be a place where we can come to seek guidance, understanding, insight, and renewal.
   
    Certainly, the tragedy in the Armco mine over a half-century ago, like those we have sadly experienced at too many other mines, helped to bring needed attention to the dangers of mining and inspired improvements that are addressing the health and safety needs of miners.

    As recently as January 2008, the House of Representatives passed a bill to improve mine safety.  And, in 2006, I helped shepherd such improvements through the Congress in the MINER Act.  That act was signed into law and it has been instrumental in revamping mine safety practices nationwide. 

    Still, the work of improving the safety of our mines is not over.  It will, it must, continue as long as men and women toil in the mines.       

    What we also know from the history of Nellis is that the eleven men who lost their lives in that explosion were working to improve their lot in life; to provide something better for their families, and to make something grander of their community.

    Those aspirations still exist here in Boone County and in coal mining communities throughout West Virginia.  And they are still worth pursuing. 

    On Tuesday, our Nation elected new leadership that will set the course for America over the next four years and beyond.  Confronted by a declining economy and a Federal budget that will be more constrained than any in most of our lifetimes, the job ahead will be very tough.  But America will prevail.  

    We have much work ahead here in Southern West Virginia, too.  We must continue our efforts to invest in infrastructure that will invite new businesses and new jobs.    We must improve access to affordable health care and ensure quality education for our children.   We must continue to pursue transportation, tourism, and technology – the most promising avenues for revitalization throughout our region.

    I have dedicated myself to these efforts throughout my career, and thanks to your continued support, and your willingness to work along with me, I remain committed to doing so. 

    We know the difficulties of these pursuits. And we understand what tough times really are. 

    But inspired by the miners of Nellis, and all of the hard-working, honest, loyal, God-fearing miners whom we memorialize today, let us muster the courage, the faith, the energies, and the good old-fashioned gumption to improve our lot, provide something better for our families, and to make something grander of our communities.   

    In their memory, I commend this community and all of you who have come here today for ensuring that the dreams and the lessons of the past will guide us to a better, brighter future.