US Congress House Bill 1903 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 21-0)
Status: Introduced on April 5 2017 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2017-04-05 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Pending: House Education And The Workforce Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Robert C. Byrd Mine Safety Protection Act of 2017 This bill amends the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 to revise requirements governing: (1) investigations of mine accidents; (2) miners' rights and protections (e.g., whistle-blower rights and protections); (3) mine health and safety standards; (4) underground coal mines; and (5) health and safety training for miners. The Department of Labor, when investigating coal or other mines, must: (1) determine why an accident occurred and whether there were violations of law, mandatory health and safety standards, or other requirements; (2) refer to the Department of Justice cases involving violations of federal criminal law; and (3) make recommendations to avoid a recurrence of an accident. The bill requires independent investigation of a mine accident under certain circumstances. The bill expands Labor's enforcement authority, including by requiring Labor to: (1) revoke the approval of mine operators' plans or programs based on certain criteria, and (2) order mine operators to withdraw all persons from a mine until Labor approves a new plan. The bill revises civil and criminal penalties, including by subjecting a mine operator who knowingly violates health or safety standards to a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $1 million fine. The bill also expands whistle-blower rights and protections, including by: (1) giving miners' rights and protections to all employees of a mine, and (2) prohibiting discrimination against those employees for refusing to perform duties if they have a good-faith and reasonable belief that their duties pose a safety or health hazard. Underground coal mines operators must: (1) implement a communication program to brief miners of current mine conditions, and (2) install atmospheric monitoring systems.

Robert C. Byrd Mine Safety Protection Act of 2017

Rep. Robert Scott [D-VA]	Rep. Mark Takano [D-CA]	Rep. Joe Courtney [D-CT]	Rep. Frederica Wilson [D-FL]
Rep. Mark Pocan [D-WI]	Rep. Alan Lowenthal [D-CA]	Rep. Carol Shea-Porter [D-NH]	Rep. Mark DeSaulnier [D-CA]
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi [D-IL]	Rep. Raul Grijalva [D-AZ]	Rep. Alma Adams [D-NC]	Rep. Tim Ryan [D-OH]
Rep. Katherine Clark [D-MA]	Rep. Rosa DeLauro [D-CT]	Rep. Robert Brady [D-PA]	Rep. Michael Doyle [D-PA]
Rep. Louise Slaughter [D-NY]	Rep. John Garamendi [D-CA]	Rep. Donald Norcross [D-NJ]	Rep. Brad Sherman [D-CA]
Rep. Matthew Cartwright [D-PA]

Date	Chamber	Action
2017-04-05	House	Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
2017-04-05	House	Introduced in House

SB854 (Related) 2017-04-05 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1903/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/hr1903/BILLS-115hr1903ih.pdf