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HR 4695 109th Congress House

Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 2006

Official title: To direct the Secretary of Labor to prescribe additional coal mine safety standards, to require additional penalties for habitual violators, and for other purposes.

Introduced: May 23, 2006 See on congress.gov
Labor and Employment Administrative procedureCoalCommerceDepartment of Labor
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Electronic government informationEmergency ManagementEmergency communication systemsEmployee trainingEmployer sanctionsEmployers' liabilityEnergyEquipment and suppliesExecutive reorganizationFinance and Financial SectorFines (Penalties)Geographic information systemsGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment paperworkGovernmental investigations
This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 1, 2006
Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
Feb 1, 2006
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Feb 1, 2006
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E46-47)
Feb 1, 2006
Introduced in House
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 Latest action May 1, 2006

Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 2006 - Directs the Secretary of Labor to revise regulations prescribed pursuant to the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 to require coal mine operators to expeditiously provide notification of any accident where rescue and recovery work is necessary.

Requires the Secretary to revise regulations regarding mine rescue teams to: (1) address training and qualifications for team members, rescue equipment and technology, the structure and organization of teams, and the guidelines about liability and insurance issues; and (2) require that mine operators employ rescue teams to provide a rapid response and have a plan for coordination and communication between the rescue teams and local emergency response personnel.

Directs the Secretary to prescribe regulations to require: (1) each coal mine to maintain at strategic locations sufficient emergency supplies of air and self-contained breathing equipment, and independent means of communication with the surface, for people awaiting rescue; and (2) each operator to implement a communication and electronic tracking system to assist in rescue and to equip each person that enters a mine with certain communication and tracking devices.

Requires the Secretary to revise regulations in order to prohibit belt haulage entries from being used to ventilate active working places in any coal mine.

Directs the Secretary to prescribe regulations to establish minimum civil penalties for violations: (1) where the operator displays negligence or reckless disregard of a mandatory health or safety standard; and (2) of rescue notification requirements.

Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish an Office of Science and Technology Transfer within the Mine Safety and Health Administration to conduct research and development to apply advancing sciences and technologies to mines and miner health and safety; (2) review and revise mine health and safety standards with regard to implementing such technologies.

Establishes the position of Miner Ombudsman within the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Labor to be responsible for ensuring the safety of mines through information collection and sharing.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4695: Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 2006. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-4695/
MLA
"H.R. 4695: Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 2006." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-4695/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4695, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-4695/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4695: Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 2006](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-4695/)
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