Rep. Conor Lamb, Lawmakers, Miners and Veterans Groups Join Together to Support Miners Pension Protection Act
GWOT veterans and Vietnam veterans to express the importance this bill has on mine worker veterans who are trying to retire with dignity after serving the nation
Tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 23rd at 12:30 p.m. EST. Rep. Conor Lamb, Union Veterans Council, Vietnam Veterans of America, and retired miners will speak in a press conference where they will express support for the Miners Pension Protection Act (HR 935). The press conference will be held at the House Triangle on Capitol Hill, right after the Natural Resources Committee marks-up this important bill.
Per capita, Appalachians served and died at the highest rate of any region in America during the Vietnam Conflict. A high number of these veterans found gainful employment in coal mines after returning from the war, as did veterans from other conflicts. The majority of these veterans were continuing patriotic work in the mines, fueling America’s economy, even as they were exposed to workplace diseases such as black lung. There are thousands of Vietnam and Desert Storm veterans, and the widows of Korean War veterans, who will lose a major part of their fixed incomes if the UMWA pension plan was allowed to fail.
Now that these veterans are retired or nearing retirement, they are facing the possibility that they will not have the pensions they were promised due to industry bankruptcies and lawmakers unwillingness to address the problem. Rep. Conor Lamb will express his support for passing this critical bill. Will Attig, the Union Veterans Council’s executive director, will highlight how these brave miners deserve a secure retirement and the importance of young veterans fighting for past generations. Veterans who worked as miners will offer compelling personal stories, along with additional veteran lawmakers and spokespersons.
WHAT: Press conference by elected leaders, labor leaders and Vietnam Veterans of America supporting the preservation of the UMWA Pension Plan, calling for a swift House passage of HR 935.
WHO: Representative Conor Lamb (PA-17)
Will Attig, Executive Director, Union Veterans Council
Vietnam veterans-miner
Rick Weidmen, Vietnam Veterans of America
Additional Lawmakers
WHEN: October 23rd 2019 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00pm
WHERE: House Triangle, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
Contact: Union Veterans Council - Will Attig: 618-521-2326 or [email protected]
