[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 540]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT OF 2006

  (Mrs. CAPITO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, first I would like to thank the Nation 
and my fellow West Virginians for their prayers during our month of 
sorrow caused by our coal mining accidents. As you know, two major 
mining accidents took place in West Virginia, killing 12 miners at Sago 
mine in Upshur County and 2 at the Alma mine in Logan County. Today the 
West Virginia Congressional delegation, on a bipartisan basis, will 
introduce the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 2006. This mine 
safety legislation will require the Mine Safety and Health 
Administration to issue regulations to provide for immediate 
notification of mine accidents, new regulations for mine safety teams, 
and to ensure a quick response and improve technology to keep miners 
safe.
  This legislation creates an MSHA Office of Science and Technology and 
examine mine safety and rescue technologies, including refuge chambers. 
The world watched as tragedy was averted in Canada this past weekend 
because 72 trapped miners were able to escape to a designated safe 
haven. American miners deserve to have the best safety equipment as 
well.
  It is important that this House act on legislation to improve the 
safety of our coal mines. I spent time with the friends and family of 
the Sago mine victims, both as we awaited the news of the rescue 
efforts and after we heard the tragic result. I do not want to watch 
more families endure what the families of the Sago victims have gone 
through.
  I urge my colleagues, whether your State is a major producer of coal 
or not, to join the West Virginia delegation in helping to prevent 
future mine tragedies.

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