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Washington, DC – In an effort to make sure that mine safety remains a priority, Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) mounted a successful defense against Richard Stickler, the administration’s nominee to be Director of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).

The Senate had planned to vote on the nominee today, but Republican leadership cancelled the vote after realizing the widespread opposition that Rockefeller and Byrd mustered against him. If the White House attempts to make Stickler a recess appointment, Democrats secured a promise as a result of today’s action that the Senate would be given an opportunity to vote on the nomination. Rockefeller is going farther, urging the President to immediately pull the Stickler nomination.

In various mine-related jobs, Stickler has a track record of undermining the safety needs of coal miners. The mines that Stickler ran were some of the most dangerous in the industry and were cited for safety violations at a rate far higher than the industry average. At his confirmation hearing, Stickler suggested that, even in the wake of accidents at Sago and Aracoma, Congress did not need to pass new mine safety legislation.

In an unusual move, reflecting his strong concern over the nomination, Rockefeller, who is still recuperating from major back surgery, taped an audio message to his colleagues during their weekly Democratic Caucus luncheon meeting. Rockefeller strongly urged his colleagues to vote against the Stickler nomination.

Please click on http://demradio.senate.gov/actualities/rockefeller/rockefeller060613.mp3 to retrieve audio for quotes below.

The following are audio remarks from Senator Rockefeller:

“Richard Stickler is completely unqualified for this job-- by temperament and by his philosophy,” said Rockefeller. “The mines he ran when he was in the industry, working for the industry, were some of the most dangerous, most frequently cited for safety violations in the entire industry. In fact, his mines had a rate of preventable accidents that were 3 times the national average. So, that was when he was working for the industry.

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