In response to the Sago and Alma mine tragedies, legislation was introduced Friday to better ensure the safety of West Virginia's miners by drastically reform mine safety regulations. The legislation was cosponsored by Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV).
The legislation, the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act), is the House companion bill to legislation introduced by Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP Committee). Chairman Enzi's bill, cosponsored by Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) and Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), was unanimously passed by the Senate HELP Committee earlier last week.