**Will Attend Field Hearing in West Virginia on Monday, May 24th**
Washington, D.C.—Senator Jay Rockefeller today outlined his next steps on mine safety, following the Upper Big Branch mine tragedy in West Virginia—including attending a field hearing in Beckley on May 24, at 9:00 a.m. Rockefeller, a longtime fighter for strong mine safety laws and one of the leading authors of the MINER Act of 2006, has been working with state, local and federal officials to uncover more details about the Upper Big Branch accident and determine what needs to be done for the future.
“The tragedy at Upper Big Branch mine was felt by our entire country, and we are still in pain. We cannot change what happened—but we can make changes going forward. Every worker deserves a safe workplace—and it is the job of elected representatives to make sure that all voices are heard and laws are improved.
“Too many Americans lay awake at night, wondering if their loved ones can make it home safely. It is for our miners that I fight for improved mine safety, stronger oversight and accountability, and relentlessly pursue answers for what happened at the Upper Big Branch mine on that tragic day.”
Rockefeller Mine Safety Work For West Virginia:
The following are a list of action items that Senator Rockefeller is working on to deliver real solutions for West Virginia coal miners and workers across our country:
Pushing for passage of amendments to improve mine safety:
-Senator Rockefeller authored an amendment to the Wall Street Reform bill that would require any publicly-traded mining company to include critical mine safety information in its annual and quarterly filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). With this information, shareholders would be more informed and corporate management would be more accountable for a company’s safety record.
-Senator Rockefeller also authored an amendment that was included as part of the Senate jobs bill, the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010, which would help more of our coal companies qualify for mine safety tax credits. These tax credits keep miners safe by reducing the cost of training mine rescue teams and purchasing important life-saving equipment like communications equipment, emergency breathing apparatus, and devices to monitor gas levels in mines.
Working on new legislative approaches to improve workplace safety, which include:
-Additional workplace safety enforcement and accountability standards through the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
-Streamlining Pattern of Violation rules and regulations so that repeat offenders are subject to additional oversight and enforcement.
-Reducing the appeals backlog at the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, to prevent companies from avoiding responsibility simply by filing appeals.
-Improved whistleblower protections to empower miners and all workers to come forward and report dangerous conditions.
-Increased fines and penalties for companies that routinely violate safety laws and regulations.