SENATE RESOLUTION 75

(By Senators Carmichael (Mr. President), Tarr, Swope, Maynard, Woelfel, Cline, Sypolt, and Plymale)

[Introduced March 7, 2019]

Expressing support for the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, to sign the Appalachian Sky Executive Order.

Whereas, During the 20th century, the coal industry provided direct and indirect jobs to thousands upon thousands of southern West Virginians, creating a robust local economy; and

Whereas, During the mid-2000s, the coal industry began to decline due to many factors, including, but not limited to, inexpensive natural gas, burdensome environmental regulations, and weakening international demand, disproportionately affecting central Appalachia, generally, and southern West Virginia, specifically; and

Whereas, Jackson, Mason, Cabell, and Wayne counties have been selected as part of a 19-county, multistate AEROready Certified region known as the Appalachian Sky corridor with an ultimate goal to attract the aerospace and defense industries to the region; and

Whereas, A proposed Appalachian Sky Executive Order is currently under review with the United States Department of Commerce and the National Economic Council, and would align varying interests in the region with the common goal of attracting manufacturers so that, one day, every aircraft and spacecraft will have a part designed, manufactured, or routinely maintained at a facility in the Appalachian Sky corridor; and

Whereas, Experts estimate that the Appalachian Sky initiative will create 15,000 aerospace-related jobs in the region and create over 18,000 indirect and induced jobs, employing thousands of West Virginians from those areas hardest hit by the decline in the coal industry, and encouraging thousands to move to West Virginia and surrounding states, revitalizing local economies; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate:

That the Senate hereby expresses support for the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, to sign the Appalachian Sky Executive Order; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Senate respectfully encourages the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, to sign the Appalachian Sky Executive Order and bring much needed economic opportunity to regions of West Virginia and neighboring states whose workforce provided the coal and other materials that made America great and secure, and make central Appalachia and West Virginia great again; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America; to the Honorable Wilbur L. Ross, Jr., Secretary of the United States Department of Commerce; and to the Honorable Lawrence A. Kudlow, Director of the National Economic Council.