It's not news that the sequester is cutting paychecks, costing jobs, putting people at risk of homelessness and hunger. Add
risking lives to that list. The Mine Safety and Health Administration has announced "substantial" cuts to safety and training grants:
The grants from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) play an important role in training miners to avoid deadly accidents in mines as well as life-threatening health dangers like black lung disease. At least 19 coal miners died on the job in 2012, along with at least eight so far in 2013, according to MSHA. Each year, hundreds of miners die from black lung, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
In a cruel bit of sequester irony for miners, the safety grant cuts come at a time when mining companies already owe the feds some $70 million in safety fines that MSHA hasn't yet collected. Many of those fines remain outstanding because companies declare bankruptcy, go out of business or fight the penalties in court. Critics of the current mine safety system say the backlog of uncollected fines gives unscrupulous mining companies little incentive to play by the rules.
Additionally, the sequester may make it impossible to fill vacancies at the MSHA, leaving the agency understaffed. Meanwhile, Republicans continue whining about White House tours.
Tell Republicans to quit whining about White House tours and give a damn about the sequester cuts that really matter.