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H.R. 5389: Protecting America's Miners Act

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H.R. 5389: Protecting America's Miners Act

109th Congress · introduced 2006-05-16 · Labor and Employment · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2006-05-16 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Miller, George [D-CA-7] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Protecting America's Miners Act

Plain summary

Protecting America's Miners Act - Expresses the sense of Congress concerning the need for congressional intervention to maintain a highly trained Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) inspector workforce. Amends the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 to revise safety standards for mines, including by requiring: (1) atmospheric detection and warning systems; (2) certain communication technologies; (3) emergency underground caches of air and self-contained breathing equipment; (4) self-rescue devices and training; (5) underground refuges; and (6) electronic tracking devices. Deems violations of such standards as the creation of imminent danger to miners. Requires the Secretary of Labor to establish within the Mine Safety and Health Administration a central communications emergency call center for mine operators. Requires operators to report any emergency or serious mine incident to the center no later than 15 minutes after becoming aware of the incident. Requires operators to ensure the availability and capabilities of mine rescue teams. Directs the Secretary to promulgate regulations regarding mine rescue teams and accident investigations. Requires the Secretary to contract with the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board or other independent federal investigative authority to investigate an accident upon the request of the authorized miners' representative or representatives of a majority of the families of the miners killed (or who could have been killed) in such accident. Requires the MSHA inspector or district manager to notify operators and miners' representatives when a potential pattern of violations is identified. Imposes penalties and miner withdrawal requirements. Revises penalties for safety standards and notification violations. Establishes, within the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Labor, the position of Miner Ombudsman. Requires the Secretary to: (1) develop mandatory standards that implement the recommendations of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) concerning flammability of conveyor belts; (2) improve standards concerning seals for abandoned areas in mines; (3) inspect the seals of coal mines that are composed of nontraditional materials to ensure they are constructed in a safe manner; and (4) develop standards requiring a concentration of not more than 1.0 milligram of respirable dust per cubic meter of air. Abolishes for five years the ceilings on the number of MSHA mine inspector personnel that may be employed. Authorizes MSHA to hire retired inspectors in cases of shortages. Requires NIOSH to consider new technologies and those that could be adapted for use in facilitating survival of miners during emergencies.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Protecting America's Miners Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Miller, George [D-CA-7] · 10 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Authorization
A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong109-hr5389 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109