Press Releases

The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, on which U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) does not serve, favorably reported to the full House H.R. 9029, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2025. This bill includes Section 123, which prohibits funding the enforcement of the Department of Labor Rule “Lowering Miners’ Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica and Improving Respiratory Protection.” In response to the Committee’s decision, Congressman Griffith issued the following statement:

“The safety of our mining men and women is important. Mining is inherently dangerous.

“I recognize silica is a cause of the increase over the last few years of black lung disease, as a study from Virginia Tech suggests. Accordingly, we need to take action to address miner protections from silica exposure.

“While I have not had a chance to vote on this bill yet, I will review relevant scientific literature in order to make a decision based on the science. The only question is whether 25 micrograms of silica per cubic meter of air is the proper designation. Clearly there should be some change in the current standard.

“When we send our men and women into mines, we need to make sure they are as safe as practicable.”

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