PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

H.R. 5481: MINERS for Mining Act

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 5481: MINERS for Mining Act

109th Congress · introduced 2006-05-25 · Labor and Employment · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2006-05-25 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Norwood, Charles W. [R-GA-9] · 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 21st Century Competitiveness. 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

MINERS for Mining Act

Plain summary

Modernizing and Improving the National Emergency Response System for Mining Act or the MINERS for Mining Act - Amends the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 to require coal mine operators to: (1) improve accident preparedness and response at each mine; and (2) adopt and update an accident response plan for evacuations and for maintenance of individuals trapped underground. Requires such a plan to provide for: (1) redundant means and local coordination of communication; (2) post-accident location of underground personnel; (3) emergency air supplies: (4) self-rescuer caches; (5) escapeways and flame-resistant directional lifelines; (6) emergency training; and (7) within three years, post accident wireless communication between underground and the surface and electronic tracking of trapped persons. Limits the liability of persons who carry out mine accident rescue or recovery operations. Directs the Secretary of Labor to require: (1) the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) to establish and update criteria to certify the qualifications of mine rescue teams; and (2) operators to have one employee knowledgeable in emergency response on each shift and two certified mine rescue teams available at each mine within one hour. Requires notification of a mine accident to be provided to the Secretary by the operator within 15 minutes of knowledge of a death or potentially fatal injury. Authorizes the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to research and develop technology for the improvement of the safety and health of miners. Amends the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to establish within NIOSH an Office of Mine Safety and Health to enhance the development of new mine safety technology and applications and to expedite the commercial availability and implementation of such technology. Authorizes the Director of NIOSH to: (1) award competitive grants and contracts; and (2) establish an interagency working group to share technology, research, and developments concerning mine safety and accident response. Requires the Secretary to require: (1) the temporary assignment of a department official as a liaison with the families of victims of mine tragedies involving multiple deaths; and (2) MSHA to be responsiveto family requests for information and to serve as the primary communicator. Prescribes penalties for operator violations of health or safety standards or orders. Requires the Secretary to research, and report to Congress on, the sealing of abandoned mine areas. Directs the Secretary to: (1) require the operator of each mine to conduct mandatory, random substance abuse testing of mine employees; and (2) create a registry of those found to have tested positive. Provides for the issuance and enforcement of subpoenas. Requires the Secretary of Education to provide scholarships to individuals to increase the skilled workforce for mine operators, mine safety inspectors, and other MSHA personnel. Requires NIOSH to: (1) provide for research about various refuge alternatives in mines; and (2) survey international mining practices concerning incident planning. Requires the Secretary of Labor to award competitive grants for funding education and training programs to better identify and prevent unsafe working conditions in and around mines.

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

MINERS for Mining Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Norwood, Charles W. [R-GA-9] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

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.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong109-hr5481 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109