Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

Mrs. MURRAY: S. 2127. A bill to provide assistance to families of miners involved in mining accidents; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, today, I heard disturbing testimony during a Senate HELP Committee hearing on the Crandall Canyon Mine disaster about the misinformation that families received during the tragedy. When I met with many of the family members of the miners involved in the accident, I saw the enduring pain of their loss, and, although there is nothing I can do to take that pain away, I can work to ensure that if other families are ever faced with such tragedy in the future, they will be cared for with respect, dignity, and consistency.

I am proud to introduce the Mine Disaster Family Assistance Act of 2007, closely modeled after the National Transportation Safety Board's highly effective family assistance model used during major aviation accidents in this country to care for victims and their families.

This bill puts families who experience such a tragedy first by establishing a director of family support services at MSHA. This person would serve as the Federal Government's point-of-contact for families during an emergency. The director would be responsible for the overall coordination of family services provided by all parties involved in a mine emergency and ensure that families receive consistent information first during rescue and investigation efforts.

Second, it requires the designation of an independent nonprofit organization with experience in disasters and post trauma family communication, such as the American Red Cross, ARC, as the primary coordinator of emotional care and support for families. This organization will provide mental health and counseling services to families, and a private place to grieve; meet with family members onsite; and update families on accident and post accident activities.

Third, it requires mine operators to submit a strategic plan to clearly establish accident protocols for meeting the needs of families before an emergency occurs. To ensure these plans are submitted and approved in a timely fashion, the bill also prohibits approval of other operating plans until a mine has an MSHA-approved family assistance plan.

Finally, it gives families a voice in the process by including them as a required partner in a task force designed to provide recommendations for program enhancements. Other partners include mine operators, including operators of small mines, labor, the ARC, and the Bureau of Land Management.

We all agree that families who have lost loved ones in mining tragedies like those at Sago and Crandall, deserve our best efforts to provide consistent communication and support. The landmark MINER Act, signed into law last year, was a good first step in this direction, but these tragedies demand that we take additional steps to ensure that the victims' families receive the best information and care possible during an emergency.

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