text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Mine Safety and Health Act of 
  2006''.
  
  SEC. 2. IMPROVED MANDATORY HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS.
  
      Section 101 of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (30 
  U.S.C. 811) is amended by adding at the end the following:
      ``(f) Establishing Improved Mandatory Health and Safety 
  Standards.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this section 
  regarding the promulgation of mandatory health and safety standards, 
  and in addition to the requirements of any mandatory safety and health 
  standard promulgated under this Act, the following shall be mandatory 
  health and safety standards that apply to all coal or other mines:
              ``(1) Oxygen stations.--An operator shall strategically 
          locate, within each area of an underground coal or other mine 
          where miners are working, not less than 1 oxygen station that 
          can provide the average number of miners expected to be working 
          in such area with not less than a 4-day supply of oxygen.
              ``(2) Wireless emergency tracking devices.--An operator 
          shall make available to each miner a wireless emergency 
          tracking device that will enable rescuers to locate the miner 
          in the event of an accident or emergency.
              ``(3) Wireless communications devices.--An operator shall 
          require that each miner working in an underground coal or other 
          mine carry a wireless text messaging or other wireless 
          communications device that will enable rescuers or mine 
          operators to communicate with the miner.
              ``(4) Communications among rescue workers.--In the event of 
          a rescue operation, the operator of a coal or other mine shall 
          ensure that communications relating to the rescue are 
          transmitted only to the individuals participating in the rescue 
          operation.
              ``(5) Secondary telephone service.--For each area within an 
          underground coal or other mine where a miner is working, an 
          operator shall provide secondary telephone service, or 
          equivalent 2-way communication facilities, between the surface 
          and the underground mine at an entry separate from the location 
          of existing telephone service or equivalent facilities, in 
          order to increase the likelihood of maintaining communications 
          between the miner and surface or rescue personnel in the event 
          of an accident or emergency.''.
  
  SEC. 3. REPORTS, PLAN REVIEWS, AND CITATIONS.
  
      (a) Accident Investigations and Internal Reviews.--Section 103 of 
  the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 813) is 
  amended--
              (1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following: 
          ``In the case of an investigation of an accident or other 
          occurrence relating to health or safety in a coal or other 
          mine, the Secretary, or the authorized representative of the 
          Secretary, shall conduct interviews of the miners regarding the 
          accident or occurrence without having a representative of the 
          operator present.''; and
              (2) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following: 
          ``The Secretary shall promulgate regulations establishing rules 
          for conducting an investigation of any accident relating to 
          health or safety in a coal or other mine and for holding 
          hearings relating to such investigation. Not later than 30 days 
          after completing such investigation or a review regarding the 
          Administration's response to such accident, the Secretary shall 
          submit the report regarding the investigation or review to the 
          Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Health, 
          Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee 
          on Appropriations and the Committee on Education and the 
          Workforce of the House of Representatives.''.
      (b) Quarterly Review of Certain Plans.--Section 103 of the Federal 
  Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 813) is amended by adding 
  at the end the following:
      ``(l) Quarterly Review.--Notwithstanding any mandatory safety and 
  health standard promulgated under this Act, the Secretary or the 
  Secretary's authorized representative shall review the ventilation 
  system and methane and dust control plan and the roof control plan of 
  an operator at least once every 3 months.''.
      (c) Progress Check.--Section 104(a) of the Federal Mine Safety and 
  Health Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 814(a)) is amended by adding after the 
  third sentence the following: ``Not later than 24 hours after an 
  operator has received a citation under this subsection, an authorized 
  representative of the Secretary shall contact the operator to ensure 
  that the operator is taking steps to abate the violation in the 
  reasonable time specified in the citation.''.
  
  SEC. 4. EMERGENCY CALL CENTER.
  
      Section 104 of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (30 
  U.S.C. 814) is amended by adding at the end the following:
      ``(l) Emergency Call Center.--
              ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish, within 
          the Administration, a central communications emergency call 
          center for all coal and other mine operations that shall be 
          staffed and operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All calls 
          placed to the emergency call center shall be answered by an 
          individual.
              ``(2) Contact list.--To assist in the operation of the 
          emergency call center, the Secretary shall provide the 
          emergency call center with an emergency contact list that 
          contains the contact information for all coal or other mines 
          subject to this Act and shall update the contact list on a 
          quarterly basis.''.
  
  SEC. 5. PENALTIES.
  
      (a) Increased Penalties and User Fees.--Section 110 of the Federal 
  Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 820) is amended--
              (1) in subsection (a)--
                      (A) in the first sentence, by inserting before the 
                  period ``, except that a flagrant violation may be 
                  assessed a civil penalty of not more than $500,000'';
                      (B) in the second sentence, by inserting ``, other 
                  than a flagrant violation,'' after ``safety standard''; 
                  and
                      (C) by adding at the end the following: ``In this 
                  subsection, the term `flagrant violation' means a 
                  reckless or repeated failure to make reasonable efforts 
                  to eliminate a known violation of a mandatory health 
                  and safety standard that substantially and proximately 
                  caused, or reasonably could be expected to cause, death 
                  or serious bodily injury.'';
              (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``$5,000'' and inserting 
          ``$55,000'';
              (3) in subsection (d)--
                      (A) by inserting ``knowingly exposes miners to 
                  situations likely to cause death or serious bodily 
                  injury,'' after ``operator who'';
                      (B) by striking ``$25,000'' and inserting 
                  ``$250,000''; and
                      (C) by striking ``$50,000'' and inserting 
                  ``$500,000'';
              (4) in subsection (e), by striking ``$1,000'' and inserting 
          ``$20,000'';
              (5) in subsection (f), by striking ``$10,000'' and 
          inserting ``$100,000'';
              (6) by redesignating subsections (i) through (k) and 
          subsection (l) as subsections (j) through (l) and subsection 
          (o), respectively;
              (7) by inserting after subsection (h) the following:
      ``(i) Failure to Inform.--Any operator who fails to inform the 
  Secretary of a disaster relating to a coal or other mine within the 15-
  minute period following the occurrence of the disaster shall be subject 
  to a civil penalty of not less than $100,000. The Secretary may waive 
  the penalty under this subsection if the Secretary determines that the 
  failure to inform within the time period was caused by circumstances 
  outside the control of the operator.''; and
              (8) by inserting after subsection (l) (as so redesignated 
          by paragraph (6)) the following:
      ``(m) Minimum Fine or Penalty.--
              ``(1) Serious illness or injury hazard.--A fine or civil 
          penalty assessed under this section for a violation of a 
          mandatory health or safety standard, or other provision of this 
          Act, that could cause serious illness or injury shall be in an 
          amount of not less than $10,000.
              ``(2) Habitual violator.--A fine or civil penalty assessed 
          under this section, to any operator of a coal or other mine who 
          habitually violates this Act, for a violation of a mandatory 
          health or safety standard, or other provision of this Act, that 
          could significantly and substantially contribute to a safety or 
          health hazard shall be in an amount of not less than $20,000.
      ``(n) User Fees.--An operator who incurs a civil penalty or fine 
  under this section shall, in addition to the amount of such penalty or 
  fine, be assessed a user fee of $100 for each such penalty or fine. 
  Such fees shall be collected by the Secretary to be deposited in an 
  Administration account and shall be used to augment the amounts 
  appropriated to the Administration for carrying out the following 
  activities:
              ``(1) To reimburse operators for the cost of training, 
          research and development, rescue teams, safe rooms, or other 
          supplies or equipment for miner safety.
              ``(2) To enable the Administration to provide technical 
          support, educational policy and development, and program 
          evaluation and information activities in accordance with this 
          Act.''.
      (b) No Reduction of Certain Fines.--Section 105(d) of the Federal 
  Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 815(d)) is amended in the 
  first sentence by inserting ``, except that the Commission shall not 
  decrease a civil penalty assessed for a flagrant violation, as defined 
  in section 110(a), or for a habitual violation'' after ``appropriate 
  relief''.
  
  SEC. 6. MANDATORY HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAINING.
  
      Section 115(a) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 
  (30 U.S.C. 825(a)) is amended--
              (1) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (7); and
              (2) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
              ``(5) all miners shall receive initial training in the 
          proper usage of wireless communications devices and shall 
          receive refresher training courses on such usage not less often 
          than once each calendar year;
              ``(6) each rescue team for the mine shall participate in a 
          surprise, unannounced emergency rescue drill at an operating 
          mine not less often than 2 times each calendar year; and''.
target: Mine Safety and Health Act of 2006 - Amends the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 to impose additional health and safety requirements for all coal or other mines, including regarding: (1) the strategic location of an oxygen station; (2) wireless emergency tracking devices; (3) wireless communication devices; (4) restricting communications relating to a rescue operation only to individuals participating in the rescue; and (5) secondary telephone service.
  
  Requires interviews of miners regarding an accident or occurrence without the presence of the mine operator.
  
  Directs the Secretary of Labor to: (1) establish rules for conducting investigations of mine accidents; and (2) report to specified congressional committees within 30 days of completing an investigation.
  
  Requires the Secretary to: (1) conduct a quarterly review of a mine operator's ventilation system, methane and dust control plan, and roof control plan; and (2) contact an operator who has received a citation within 24 hours to ensure that steps are being taken to correct the safety violation.
  
  Requires the Secretary to establish a central communications emergency call center for all coal and other mine operations.
  
  Imposes increased penalties for flagrant violations of mine safety standards, for failure to promptly report mine disasters, and for habitual violators of mine safety standards. Imposes additional user fees on mine operators who incur such penalties and dedicates such fees for equipment, training, and other expenses relating to mine safety.
  
  Requires all miners to receive training in the proper usage of wireless communications devices. Requires rescue workers to participate in unannounced emergency rescue drills at an operating mine at least twice a year.
feat_title: A bill to amend the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 to improve mine safety, and for other purposes.