Noting the Senate’s unanimous passage today of S. 2803, the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response (MINER) Act of 2006, and the untimely deaths of six more miners this week, U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) called on the House of Representatives to pass mine safety legislation without further delay.

"Just yesterday, the total number of fatalities among our Nation's coal miners in 2006 reached 32. Six miners have died in Kentucky just this week, and 18 miners have died in West Virginia since the beginning of this year. The lack of response by the House Republican leadership to this rising death toll to date is inexcusable," charged Rahall.

Last week Rahall, along with U.S. Rep. Shelley Capito (R-WV), introduced House companion legislation to S. 2803.

"Passage by the Senate today of mine safety legislation moves our Nation one step closer to a badly needed overhaul of our mine safety system. The miners of my State, their families, and I are extremely grateful. The ball now falls to the House's court where I will continue to press my colleagues to act swiftly," Rahall said.

House passage of the Senate-passed legislation would be the shortest route to reforming mine safety in America. The MINER bill is one of three pieces of mine safety legislation that Rahall has joined in offering this year.

"Though it is not all that I would wish to see in a bill intended to reform our mine safety regime, the MINER Act is reasonable legislation that strikes a balance among the many mine safety stakeholders," argued Rahall.