Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Worker Safety and Health
Mine Safety Legislation Needed to Help Protect Miners, Obama Administration Official Tells House Panel
03.03.11 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Lessons learned since the worst coal mining disaster in four decades require legislative action to close loopholes in the law in order to hold dangerous mine operators accountable for putting workers at risk, the nation’s top mine health and safety regulator said today at a congressional hearing. “Almost one year has passed since we lost those 29 miners at Upper Big Branch. We have learned much in that time,” said Joseph A. Main, the Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Mi… Continue Reading
GOP Spending Bill Eliminates Worker Job Training and Workplace Safety Programs
02.16.11 WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Republican spending bill on the House floor would end vital workforce services like job training for returning veterans, local business services to help match them with qualified workers and even shut down a website that helps employers keep their workers safe, a congressional committee learned today. “No one is in favor of wasteful spending or outdated government regulations that don’t work. Instead of indentifying real government waste - like subsidies for big oil or ta… Continue Reading
House Panel Learns that Republican Spending Bill Slashes Safety, Puts Workers at Risk and Threatens Jobs
02.15.11 WASHINGTON, D. C. - The Republican spending bill being debated on the House floor this week will slash health and safety inspections and even shut down a federal agency’s website, the Workforce Protections Subcommittee learned today. House Republican spending bill proposes to cut the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) by 18 percent, which would result in approximately 8,000 fewer workplace hazard inspections and 740 fewer whistleblower discrimination investigations. “I… Continue Reading
Bill to Prevent Industrial Dust Explosions Re-Introduced in the House
02.08.11 WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the senior Democrat of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Rep. John Barrow (D-GA), and Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), the senior Democrat of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee, reintroduced legislation today to prevent workplace explosions caused by combustible industrial dusts. Three years ago yesterday, a massive explosion the Imperial Sugar refinery in Port Wentworth, Ga. killed 14 workers, injured dozens and caused millions of… Continue Reading
Mine Safety Proposal Significant Step in Right Direction to Protect Miners’ Lives, Says Rep. Miller
01.31.11 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce and author of the Robert C. Byrd Miner Safety and Health Act, issued the following statement after the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) issued a proposal to revamp the ‘pattern of violation’ sanctions. While the ‘pattern of violation’ penalties have been in the law for 33 years, they have never been used against a dangerous mining operation because … Continue Reading
Upper Big Branch Tragedy Preventable, Legislative Action Needed to Close Dangerous Loopholes, says Rep. Miller
01.19.11 WASHINGTON, D.C. - In light of information released today by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) called on Congress to move on legislation immediately that would close loopholes in federal mine safety law that contributed to the inability of MSHA to prevent the Upper Big Branch mine tragedy. House Republicans voted to block the passage of mine safety legislation on December 8. "The preliminary results of the Upper Big Branch investigation unde… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Statement after Republicans Block Miner Safety Bill
12.08.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement after House Republicans voted to block the passage of mine safety legislation. While a majority of the House voted to approve the bill, final passage required at least a two-thirds majority under the suspension of the rules. “I am pleased that a majority of the House of Representatives voted in strong support of our nation’s miners and their families. Howev… Continue Reading
House Approves Critical Investments for Students and Mine Safety
12.08.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives approved a spending measure today to ensure that Pell Grants are available to students, and to hold mine operators accountable for violating health and safety protections. “In light of Republicans voting to block mine safety reform today, these are important investments needed to improve mine safety. Among other efforts, this increased funding will help to make a meaningful dent in the crippling backlog of 19,000 mine owner appeals of heal… Continue Reading
New Coal Dust Protections Will Save Lives, Reduce Preventable Black Lung Disease, Says Miller
10.14.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, said that a new proposed rule to reduce the amount of coal dust miners breathe in and to provide better monitoring of coal dust is long overdue and will save lives. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, more than 10,000 miners have died from black lung in the last decade and young miners are still contracting the debilitating condition.“After years of careful st… Continue Reading
Labor Department Inspector General Finds Important Mine Safety Sanction Broken
09.29.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - The process to identify and improve safety at the nation’s most dangerous mines is broken, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General reported today. According to the report, in the 32 years since the ‘pattern of violation’ sanction was enacted, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has never used this authority as the result of “lack of leadership and priority in the department across administrations.” U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA), Nick Rahall (D-WV),… Continue Reading
GAO: Improved Investigator Training and More Effective Management Needed for Federal Whistleblower Program
09.16.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Improved training and oversight is needed for the federal program designed to protect Americans who ‘blow the whistle’ on unsafe working conditions or other illegal activities, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported to members of Congress today. Sens. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Patty Murray (D-WA), and Reps. George Miller (D-CA) and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), requested the report as part of an effort to ensure that workers have the both the right to raise safety concerns and… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Responds to Boehner Economic Speech
08.24.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, today issued the following statement in response to House Republican Leader John Boehner’s remarks at the City Club of Cleveland.“This morning Leader John Boehner gave a campaign speech advocating a return to the failed, Bush-era domestic agenda that ran our economy into a ditch and left us in the worst downturn since the Great Depression.“With Mr. Boehner’s assistance, House Republicans stall… Continue Reading
Chairman Miller Statement on BP Texas City Settlement
08.12.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and BP agreed to pay $50 million in fines to settle unresolved safety violations at its Texas City refinery, representing the largest worker health and safety fine in U.S. history. BP also pledged $500 million to improve safety. “Today’s announcement demonstrates a clear commitment to worker safety b… Continue Reading
Chairs Miller and Woolsey Statement on Historic Proposed Kleen Energy Fine
08.05.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), chair of the Workforce Protections Subcommittee, issued the following statement on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) proposed $16.6 million fine for safety violations surrounding February’s Kleen Energy explosion in Middletown, Conn: “The Kleen Energy explosion is just another example of the tragic results of putting production, in this case comp… Continue Reading
House Approves Legislation to Give Whistleblower Protections to Offshore Workers
07.30.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - On a strong bipartisan vote of 315 to 93, the House today approved legislation to extend modern whistleblower protections to workers whose employers are engaged in oil and gas exploration, drilling, production, or cleanup on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Currently, individuals working on the OCS have no protection against retaliation by an employer for speaking up on hazardous conditions. “A whistleblower may be the only thing standing between a safe workplace and a cata… Continue Reading
Mine Safety Funding Included in Emergency Supplemental Bill Approved Today
07.28.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives gave final approval to legislation today to reduce the backlog of more than 17,000 cases involving mine operator appeals of safety and health violations. H.R. 4899, the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2010, will add an additional $22 million to the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission to attack the backlog of cases. The bill now goes to President Obama for his signature. “It is clear… Continue Reading
House Committee Approves Landmark Miner and Worker Safety Legislation
07.21.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - On a 30-17 vote, the House Education and Labor Committee approved legislation today to reform the nation’s mine and worker safety laws. The Robert C. Byrd Miner Safety and Health Act (H.R. 5663) would provide stronger tools to ensure that underground coal mine operations with troubling safety records improve conditions, empower workers to speak up about safety concerns and give the Department of Labor the tools it needs to ensure that all workers go home safely at the end of t… Continue Reading
Miner Safety Bill Will Save Lives, Ensure Culture of Safety, Witnesses tell House Committee
07.13.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Legislation responding to the nation’s worst mining tragedy in four decades will save lives and hold mine operators accountable for putting their workers in unnecessary danger, witnesses told the House Education and Labor Committee today. The Miner Safety and Health Act (H.R. 5663) would provide stronger tools to ensure that mine operators with troubling safety records improve safety and empower workers to speak up about safety concerns. Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch explos… Continue Reading
House Democrats Introduce Landmark Miner Safety Legislation
07.01.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Democrats today introduced major reforms responding to serious health and safety concerns raised by workers and their families since Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch Mine tragedy that killed 29 miners and other recent workplace tragedies. The House Education and Labor Committee also announced that the committee will hold a hearing on the bill on July 13. The Miner Safety and Health Act of 2010 (H.R. 5663) would provide stronger tools to ensure that mine operators with t… Continue Reading
Miller Applauds Key Supplemental Provisions for Workers, Teachers and Students
07.01.10 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, tonight issued the following statement on the House passage of H.R. 4899, the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2010. “With tonight’s vote, the House acted on behalf of American workers, teachers and students across the nation who have suffered in the recent economic downturn. “The bill helps to close a multi-billion dollar shortfall in the Pell Grant program that could have deterred many… Continue Reading