The U.S. House passed the Supplementary Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act late Wednesday, with the help of West Virginia Reps. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, and Nick Rahall, D-3rd.
Capito was among seven GOP members to vote for the bill, which prevailed 214-199.
The bill would "establish improved mandatory standards to protect miners during emergencies," among other purposes. Supporter call it "a needed follow-up to the sweeping safety changes in the 2006 MINER Act," The Associated Press reports.
The Charleston Gazette details some of the measure's provisions:
(F)ederal regulators would have sweeping new enforcement authority and independent investigators would probe major accidents. Mine operators would have to comply with tougher new coal dust limitations and more stringent rules on exposing workers to other hazardous substances.The Gazette also reports that Capito "voted for the bill, after first voting for an unsuccessful Republican substitute measure and for a failed attempt to kill the legislation," and that "In a floor speech, Capito said the bill was 'flawed in many ways” and would “hold up the progress that is underway.'"
In a statement issued after the vote, Capito said "We must be cautious that new regulations do not jeopardize job security for our miners or undermine safety efforts already underway. "
AP also reports that "The White House on Tuesday threatened to veto a mine safety bill, saying the new regulations proposed by Democrats would interfere with legislation President Bush signed in 2006."
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