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Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives just blocked efforts by Democratic leaders to resurrect a major mine safety reform bill before the end of the year and the GOP takeover of the House in 2011.
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According to the official roll call vote, only one Republican voted to bring up the bill.
Got to be Shelley Moore Capito, right? She's interested in protecting miners, right?
West Virginia Democrat Nick Rahall voted in favor, while Republican Shelley Moore Capito voted against.
Capito is fine with coal barons putting profits ahead of the safety of the miners.
In a statement today, Rep. Capito had this to say:
In all, the Democrats bill being considered today does little to address mine safety, but rather imposes severe penalties on businesses, introduces dramatic regulatory changes, and promotes unnecessary litigation which will hurt those mines and miners operating in good faith on behalf of worker safety.
Miller outlined how the legislation could have helped prevent the deaths of 29 miners at Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch Mine last April:
Current law on "patterns of violations" has so many loopholes that it invites delays and allows some coal mine operators to game the system.
Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch mine was a perfect example of an operator repeatedly skirting the law and putting workers' lives in the crosshairs.
The Upper Big Branch mine was subject to 515 violations and 54 withdrawal orders in 2009, more than any other mine in the country. Red flags were waving about this mine's repeated unwarrantable failures.
And yet, because Massey indiscriminately appealed many of these violations, it evaded stronger sanctions that would have improved conditions and saved lives.
The bill sets clear and fair criteria to identify mines with significant safety problems and eliminate the incentives for mine owners that game the system.
Had this been in place, I believe the 29 miners who lost their lives at Upper Big Branch would be alive today.
Capito and the other Republicans are going to become much more open about making sure corporations are put ahead of the lives of the American people.
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