Mirabito joins fight for Coal Miners stamp

WILLIAMSPORT -- State Rep. Rick Mirabito, D-Lycoming, is joining the bipartisan fight to honor American coal miners with a United States postage stamp.

"We have seen postage stamps illustrating plants and animals, cartoons and movies, even sea shells and snowflakes. The time has come to pay respect to American coal miners, whose hard work runs our factories, heats our homes and lights our cities," Mirabito said.

The state House adopted a resolution (H.R. 873), which Mirabito co-sponsored, that calls on the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee to recommend an image of an American coal miner be placed on the face of a U.S. postage stamp in recognition of the deaths of more than 100,000 coal miners.

Mirabito said the Coal Miners Stamp Committee of Northeastern Pennsylvania and the state-formed Citizen's Stamp Advisory Committee have agreed to begin a nationwide campaign to educate and inform the American public on the stamp project.

Letters are being sent to the governors and legislative leaders in the 26 states that have coal. A petition drive has also been launched, and people can add their names by visiting www.coalminerstamp.com.