[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3062 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3062

 To provide grants to States for programs for the reemployment of laid 
                    off miners in reclamation work.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 12, 1999

   Mr. Wise introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Education 
  and the Workforce for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide grants to States for programs for the reemployment of laid 
                    off miners in reclamation work.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Coal Miner Environmental Impact 
Assistance Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS TO ENHANCE THE EMPLOYMENT OF MINERS.

    (a) In General.--The Governor of a State with an approved abandoned 
mine reclamation program under section 405 of the Surface Mining 
Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1235) shall establish a 
program to provide for the employment of coal miners who have either 
temporarily or permanently been laid off in such State as a result of 
the application of--
            (1) environmental statutes,
            (2) environmental regulations,
            (3) environmental policy directives, or
            (4) court orders,
directly relating to the mining of coal.
    (b) Scope of Program.--
            (1) Grants.--The program established under subsection (a) 
        shall consist of employing those miners referred to in such 
        subsection with grants received by a State pursuant to section 
        402(g)(1) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 
        1977 (30 U.S.C. 1232(g)(1)) in the reclamation of eligible 
        abandoned coal mined lands as set forth in title IV of such 
        Act.
            (2) Davis-bacon.--All laborers and mechanics employed by a 
        contractor or subcontractor in the performance of construction, 
        repair, or alteration work funded in whole or in part under the 
        grants referred to in paragraph (1) shall be paid wages at not 
        less than those prevailing on projects of a character similar 
        in the locality as determined by the Secretary of Labor in 
        accordance with the Act of March 3, 1931 (40 U.S.C 276a et 
        seq.) (commonly referred to as the ``Davis-Bacon Act''). The 
        Secretary of the Interior may not approve a grant under 
        paragraph (1) without first obtaining adequate insurance that 
        required labor standards, including application of the Davis-
        Bacon Act, will be maintained.
    (c) Preemption.--
            (1) In general.--A State referred to in subsection (a) may 
        not enact or enforce a law, regulation, or other provision 
        having the force and effect of law in contradiction of the 
        provisions of subsections (a) and (b) unless a certification is 
        made under paragraph (2).
            (2) Certification.--The Governor of a State referred to in 
        subsection (a) may certify to the Secretary of the Interior 
        that conditions exist in such State which do no warrant the 
        establishment of the program referred to in such subsection. 
        The Secretary, after notice in the Federal Register and 
        opportunity for public comment, shall concur with such 
        certification if the Secretary determines that such 
        certification is correct.
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