Patty Murray: “Today, I heard disturbing testimony during a Senate HELP Committee hearing on the Crandall Canyon Mine disaster about…”

“Today, I heard disturbing testimony during a Senate HELP Committee hearing on the Crandall Canyon Mine disaster about the misinformation that families received during the tragedy. When I met with many of the family members of the miners involved in the accident, I saw the enduring pain of their loss, and, although there is nothing I can do to take that pain away, I can work to ensure that if other families are ever faced with such tragedy in the future, they will be cared for with respect, dignity, and consistency. I am proud to introduce the Mine Disaster Family Assistance Act of 2007, closely modeled after the National Transportation Safety Board's highly effective family assistance model used during major aviation accidents in this country to care for victims and their families. This bill puts families who experience such a tragedy first by establishing a director of family support services at MSHA.”