Nick Rahall: “I rise in anger and outrage. This very afternoon two more coal miners perished in my home State of West Virginia in…”

“I rise in anger and outrage. This very afternoon two more coal miners perished in my home State of West Virginia in Boone County in separate unrelated incidents. This comes on the heels of the 14 coal miners in West Virginia who tragically died in two mines just last month. The death toll must stop. This is scandalous. The leadership, if I may use that word, of the Federal regulatory authority charged with coal mine safety, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, has apparently completely abdicated its responsibility under this administration. For the national spotlight to be turned on coal mine safety just last month, for those responsible for coal mine safety to be grilled during a committee hearing held in the other body just last month, yet to remain so aloof and so deficient in meeting their mission and mandate just boggles the mind. It defies logic. It smacks of callous disregard. It is inhumane. It is inexcusable. Just this morning the West Virginia congressional delegation introduced remedial legislation to force the issue, to compel the Federal agency in charge to do its job, to enforce the coal mine and health safety standards of this Nation. This initiative is high priority for us. The shame is that it now comes on the tears of even more grieving families and this sudden and unexpected departure of two more coal miners. Why is it that every Federal coal mine health and safety law we have on the books is written with the blood of coal miners?…”