Robert Byrd: “These laws are also jeopardized when the miners themselves are not incorporated into the heart of the inspection and…”

I don't believe it was because of lack of funding. I don't believe that MSHA lacked enforcement authorities. I don't believe that.

No one has done more for miners in this country than Senator Robert C. Byrd, of West Virginia.

The reconciliation process was designed to facilitate legislation to reduce deficits. Instead, the process has been used to enact multi-trillion-dollar tax cuts that led to record deficits over the last 8 years.

I respectfully exercise my Fifth Amendment right and decline to answer.