Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
Congressmen From Appalachia and the Bituminous Coal Act of 1935
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
The purpose of this paper will be to provide a scholarly account of the role played by congressmen from Appalachia in the deliberations culminating in the passage of the Bituminous Coal (Guffey-Snyder) Bill of 1935. Co-authored by Senator Joseph F. Guffey and Representative J. Buell Snyder of Pennsylvania, the bill was designed primarily to foster economic stability in a seriously declining industry. The bill authorized cooperative marketing, imposed a federal tax, and established stringent regulations in the production, distribution, and conservation of bituminous coal. After lengthy committee hearings and vigorous floor debates, the bill passed the House by a 194-168 tabulation and the Senate by a 45-37 margin. In addition to Guffey and Snyder, the bill commanded the enthusiastic support of such prominent Appalachian congressmen as Senator Matthew M. Neeley of West Virginia, and Representatives Jennings Randolph of West Virginia, John W. Flannagan, Jr. of Virginia, David J. Lewis of Maryland, and Fred M. Vinson of Kentucky. Signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 30,1935, the Bituminous Coal Act ranked as one of the foremost New Deal initiatives.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Philip A. Grant, Jr. received his Ph.D. at Georgetown University and is Professor of History at Pace University in New York.He has published articles in Appalachian Journal, Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, and Maryland Historical Magazine. He has delivered papers at seventeen previous Appalachian Conferences.
Congressmen From Appalachia and the Bituminous Coal Act of 1935
The purpose of this paper will be to provide a scholarly account of the role played by congressmen from Appalachia in the deliberations culminating in the passage of the Bituminous Coal (Guffey-Snyder) Bill of 1935. Co-authored by Senator Joseph F. Guffey and Representative J. Buell Snyder of Pennsylvania, the bill was designed primarily to foster economic stability in a seriously declining industry. The bill authorized cooperative marketing, imposed a federal tax, and established stringent regulations in the production, distribution, and conservation of bituminous coal. After lengthy committee hearings and vigorous floor debates, the bill passed the House by a 194-168 tabulation and the Senate by a 45-37 margin. In addition to Guffey and Snyder, the bill commanded the enthusiastic support of such prominent Appalachian congressmen as Senator Matthew M. Neeley of West Virginia, and Representatives Jennings Randolph of West Virginia, John W. Flannagan, Jr. of Virginia, David J. Lewis of Maryland, and Fred M. Vinson of Kentucky. Signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 30,1935, the Bituminous Coal Act ranked as one of the foremost New Deal initiatives.
