Blog Post

The House has just passed the S-MINER (Supplemental Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response) Act, H.R. 2768 by a vote of 214-199. This bill builds on the MINER Act of 2006 -- providing critical mine safety reforms that were unaddressed in the 2006 legislation. It adds new safeguards for retreat mining, toughens the standards for explosion-proof seals at mines, improves the safety of conveyer belts used in mines, strengthens MSHA's enforcement hand, and strengthens miners' rights by establishing a new Miner Ombudsman.

The House has just passed a resolution condemning the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and reaffirming the commitment of the United States to assist the people of Pakistan in combating terrorist activity and promoting a free and democratic Pakistan. Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke on the bill this morning:

Speaker Pelosi: "Benazir Bhutto, about 15 years ago she came to this chamber of the Congress, one of the first women ever to address a joint session of Congress.

The Joint Economic Committee, where Sen. Chuck Schumer is the Chairman and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY-14) is the Vice Chairman, is currently holding a hearing, "What Should the Federal Government Do to Avoid a Recession?" Scheduled witnesses include Dr. Lawrence Summers, Former U.S. Treasury Secretary; Lawrence Mishel, President of the Economic Policy Institute; and William W. Beach, Director of the Center for Data Analysis at the Heritage Foundation.

Mine Safety has been a top priority of the Education and Labor Committee for the entire year, including numerous hearings and investigations. Much of that work is reflected in H.R. 2768, "The Supplemental Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act," which comes up for a vote tomorrow.

Washington, D.C. -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced today that Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas will deliver the Democratic Address on the State of the Union following the President's speech to Congress on Monday, January 28. Texas State Senator Leticia Van de Putte, immediate past president of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), will deliver the Spanish language address.

Governor Sebelius will deliver her speech from the Governor's residence in Topeka, Kansas.

The Oversight Committee is currently holding a hearing, "The Mitchell Report: The Illegal Use of Steroids in Major League Baseball." This first hearing will include testimony from Senator George Mitchell, Mr. Bud Selig, and Mr. Don Fehr. Invited witnesses for the second hearing include Mr. Brian McNamee, Mr. Kirk Radomski, Mr. Andy Pettitte, Mr. Chuck Knoblauch, and Mr. Roger Clemens.

As part of its ongoing investigation into executive pay, the Oversight Committee has invited three CEOs implicated in the subprime mortgage crisis to testify on February 7, 2008, about their severance and compensation packages.

Read letters to Charles Prince, the former CEO of Citigroup (pdf) and E. Stanley O'Neal, the former CEO of Merrill Lynch (pdf).

Our meeting was respectful of our mutual interests in stabilizing the economy. We know that people are hurting, so I hope that we can work together -- recognizing the independence of the Fed -- and coordinate monetary and fiscal policy that will soften the blow for hard-working families affected by an economic slowdown.

I look forward to Chairman Bernanke's testimony before the House Budget Committee later this week.