\nkilled 29 coal miners has left many bewildered Americans questioning how the
\nfederal government could have prevented this tragedy. It has been reported that
\nMassey was in violation of safety regulations<\/a> and that federal regulatory oversight of mining conditions was
\nlax<\/a>.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In June of 2007, Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) introduced the Supplemental Mine <\/p>\n Miller chairs the House Committee on Education and \nOpposition<\/p>\n Two months after introduction of the bill, the Crandall Canyon mining \nMoney and Votes<\/p>\n After four amendments were considered<\/a> and three passed, the House passed <\/p>\n For the House vote, 25 House Democrats and nearly all House Republicans voted <\/p>\n Seven House Republicans, including West Virginia’s Shelley Capito, supported <\/p>\n Members of the Senate HELP Committee received 122 percent more from the <\/p>\n Don Blankenship, CEO of Massey and board member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, has spent millions <\/p>\n Contributions (2003-2008) from interest groups that supported and opposed Congress<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Senate HELP Committee <\/p>\n Party<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n State<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n State Rank in <\/p>\n $ From <\/p>\n $ From <\/p>\n Isakson, John<\/p>\n <\/p>\n R<\/p>\n <\/p>\n GA<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 20th<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $97,500<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Murray, Patty<\/p>\n <\/p>\n D<\/p>\n <\/p>\n WA<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 32nd<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $42,000<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $74,141<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hatch, Orrin<\/p>\n <\/p>\n R<\/p>\n <\/p>\n UT<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 6th<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $73,350<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Murkowski, Lisa<\/p>\n <\/p>\n R<\/p>\n <\/p>\n AK<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 10th<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $72,850<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Enzi, Michael<\/p>\n <\/p>\n R<\/p>\n <\/p>\n WY<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 3rd<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $68,600<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Burr, Richard<\/p>\n <\/p>\n R<\/p>\n <\/p>\n NC<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 26th<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $63,449<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Alexander, Lamar<\/p>\n <\/p>\n R<\/p>\n <\/p>\n TN<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 28th<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $45,800<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Roberts, Pat<\/p>\n <\/p>\n R<\/p>\n <\/p>\n KS<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 25th<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $40,300<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Bingaman, Jeff<\/p>\n <\/p>\n D<\/p>\n <\/p>\n NM<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 16th<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $10,000<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $33,400<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Clinton, Hillary<\/p>\n <\/p>\n D<\/p>\n <\/p>\n NY<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 24th<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $24,500<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $22,700<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Coburn, Thomas<\/p>\n <\/p>\n R<\/p>\n <\/p>\n OK<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 31st<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $22,299<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Gregg, Judd<\/p>\n <\/p>\n R<\/p>\n <\/p>\n NH<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 47th<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $11,800<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dodd, Christopher<\/p>\n <\/p>\n D<\/p>\n <\/p>\n CT<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 44th<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $18,500<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $9,000<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Allard, Wayne<\/p>\n <\/p>\n R<\/p>\n <\/p>\n CO<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 12th<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $7,500<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Obama, Barack<\/p>\n <\/p>\n D<\/p>\n <\/p>\n IL<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 19th<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $29,500<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $7,000<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Brown, Sherrod<\/p>\n <\/p>\n D<\/p>\n <\/p>\n OH<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 21st<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $65,250<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $6,000<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Harkin, Thomas<\/p>\n <\/p>\n D<\/p>\n <\/p>\n IA<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 33rd<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $23,850<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $5,550<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mikulski, Barbara<\/p>\n <\/p>\n D<\/p>\n <\/p>\n MD<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 29 <\/p>\n $26,000<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $4,500<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Reed, John<\/p>\n <\/p>\n D<\/p>\n <\/p>\n RI<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 49th<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $11,000<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $4,000<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Kennedy, Edward<\/p>\n <\/p>\n D<\/p>\n <\/p>\n MA<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 39th<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $4,500<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sanders, Bernard<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I<\/p>\n <\/p>\n VT<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 48th<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $46,800<\/p>\n <\/p>\n $0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Total<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n $301,900<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n $669,739<\/strong><\/p>\n \nMethodology<\/p>\n Campaign contributions data provided by the Center for Responsive Politics’ <\/p>\n The ranking of state mining production is from Table 2 of the National Mining Related Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n Don Blankenship called safety regulators ‘as silly as global warming’<\/a><\/p>\n Before the Massey mine disaster, there was Crandall Canyon<\/a><\/p>\n Grist: hating on Don Blankenship before hating on Don Blankenship was cool<\/a><\/p>\n
\nImprovement and New Emergency Response Act (S-MINER) Act<\/a>, which, according to the Congressional Research
\nService, would have supplemented existing mining provisions in the Federal Mine
\nAct to require: “(1) emergency response plans to incorporate new technology; (2)
\nthe Secretary of Labor to require the installation of rescue chambers in
\nunderground coal mines; and (3) accident response plans to provide for the
\nmaintenance of refuges.”<\/p>\n
\nLabor, which issued a report<\/a> stating: “The S-MINER Act aims to prevent disasters
\nand, in cases where disasters do occur, to improve emergency response. It also
\naims to reduce long-term health risks facing miners, such as black lung.”
\nSenator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) explained<\/a> the bill was necessary because the 2006 MINER Act
\nprovisions had not been effectively enforced. So far, I am concerned that the
\nslow pace of reform is leaving America’s miners at risk. We’ve made progress.
\nBut [the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA)] has not moved
\naggressively to implement all of the provisions of the MINER
\nAct.”<\/p>\n
\ndisaster occurred, killing six miners in Utah. Even after this tragedy
\nhighlighted the dangers of industry standard practices and deficiencies of
\nregulatory oversight, the mining industry continued to oppose the bill. The
\nNational Mining Association’s Vice President for Safety, Health and Human
\nResources testified<\/a> before the committee. “To be forced to respond to an
\nadditional layer of statutory requirements at this time will undermine the
\nprogress that has been made on miner training and other vital objectives of the
\nact. It is premature to consider imposing further legislation before the full
\nimpact of the original MINER Act can be comprehensively evaluated.” Further
\nopposition cited concerns about energy independence and job losses. Congressman
\nDon Young of Alaska (R) argued<\/a>, “If this bill was to become law, mines will be shut
\ndown. They will be shut down.” The Bush Administration also strongly opposed the
\nbill, claiming<\/a> that “several of the regulatory mandates in the
\nS-MINER bill would weaken several existing regulations and overturn regulatory
\nprocesses that were required by the MINER Act and are ongoing.”<\/p>\n
\nthe S-MINER Act<\/a> in January 2008. The bill subsequently died in the Senate
\nHealth, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. The HELP Subcommittee on
\nEmployment and Workplace Safety, chaired by Sen. Murray, met to consider the
\nbill. Only three members were present for the hearing. No further action was
\ntaken on this bill.<\/p>\n
\nagainst the bill. On average, House opponents received 103 percent more money from mining interests<\/a> than House
\nmembers voting Yes (an average of $12,526 to each member voting No, $6,174 to
\neach voting Yes). Democrats voting No received 197 percent more money from mining interests<\/a> than their
\ncolleagues voting Yes (an average of $16,314 to each Democrat voting No, $5,489
\nto each votin g Yes).<\/p>\n
\npassage of the bill, although they received little campaign funding from unions,
\nthe primary special interest MAPLight.org found to be supporting the
\nbill.<\/p>\n
\nmining interests than from the unions (see table below). Only three committee
\nmembers represent states that have a significant mining industry. Sen. Murray
\nreceived more than twice as much money from mining interests than any other
\nDemocrat on the committee, although her state of Washington is not ranked as a
\ntop mining industry state.<\/p>\n
\nof dollars in personal funds to support judicial and state political campaigns,
\nincluding $3 million in an attempt<\/a> to buy a West Virginia state Supreme Court
\njustice. Nearly another $400,000 was disbursed by Massey’s employees,
\nincluding Blankenship, over the last four election cycles to state and federal
\ncandidates, according to query results<\/a> from a new Sunlight Foundation transparency database<\/a>. Also, see the Center for Responsive
\nPolitics’ Capital Eye blog<\/a> for more information about contributions and
\nlobbying expenditures by Massey and its CEO.<\/p>\n
the S-MINER Act to members of the Senate HELP Committee in the 110th <\/p>\n
\nMember<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nMining Production<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nSupporting Interest Groups<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nOpposing Interest Groups<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nth<\/p>\n
\nOpenSecrets<\/a> Open Data<\/a>. Date range of contributions is: Jan. 1, 2003 –
\nDec. 31, 2008. According to MAPLight.org, manufacturing unions and mining
\nunions supported the S-MINER Act<\/a> and the following interest groups opposed: coal
\nmining, metal mining and processing; mining; mon-metallic mining; and stone,
\nclay, glass and concrete products. Contributions to the presidential campaigns
\nof members of Congress are not included.<\/p>\n
\nAssociation’s report on The
\nEconomic Contributions of U.S. Mining in 2007<\/a>.<\/p>\n