I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7700 
To direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an emergency temporary standard 
that requires operators to develop and implement a comprehensive infec-
tious disease exposure control plan to protect miners from exposure 
to SARS–CoV–2, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 21, 2020 
Mr. CARTWRIGHT (for himself, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. CLAY, Mr. COOK, Mr. 
FITZPATRICK, Mr. NORCROSS, Mr. MCKINLEY, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, 
Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. BRINDISI, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. ROGERS of Ken-
tucky, Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. VEASEY, Mr. 
BISHOP of Georgia, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. JOHNSON 
of Texas, Mr. GARCI´A of Illinois, Mr. LOWENTHAL, and Ms. FUDGE) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Edu-
cation and Labor 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Labor to issue an emergency 
temporary standard that requires operators to develop 
and implement a comprehensive infectious disease expo-
sure control plan to protect miners from exposure to 
SARS–CoV–2, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘COVID–19 Mine 
Worker Protection Act’’. 
SEC. 2. EMERGENCY TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT STAND-
ARDS. 
(a) EMERGENCY TEMPORARY HEALTH OR SAFETY 
STANDARD.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In consideration of the grave 
risk presented by COVID–19 and the need to 
strengthen protections for miners, pursuant to sec-
tion 101(b) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health 
Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 811(b)) and notwithstanding 
the provisions of law and the Executive order listed 
in paragraph (3), not later than 7 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Labor shall promulgate an emergency temporary 
health or safety standard to protect miners from oc-
cupational exposure to SARS–CoV–2. 
(2) APPLICATION OF STANDARD.—Pursuant to 
section 101(b)(2) of the Federal Mine Safety and 
Health Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 811(b)), the emer-
gency temporary health or safety standard promul-
gated under paragraph (1) shall be effective until 
superseded by a mandatory health or safety stand-
ard promulgated under subsection (b). 
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(3) INAPPLICABLE
PROVISIONS
OF
LAW
AND 
EXECUTIVE ORDER.—The provisions of law and the 
Executive order listed in this paragraph are as fol-
lows: 
(A) Chapter 6 of title 5, United States 
Code (commonly referred to as the ‘‘Regulatory 
Flexibility Act’’). 
(B) Subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, 
United States Code (commonly referred to as 
the ‘‘Paperwork Reduction Act’’). 
(C) The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 
of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.). 
(D) Executive Order 12866 (58 Fed. Reg. 
190; relating to regulatory planning and re-
view), as amended. 
(b) PERMANENT STANDARD.—Pursuant to section 
101(b)(3) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 
1977 (30 U.S.C. 811(b)(3)), the Secretary shall promul-
gate a mandatory standard to protect miners from occupa-
tional exposure to SARS–CoV–2. 
(c) REQUIREMENTS.—The standards promulgated 
under this section shall— 
(1) include a requirement that operators— 
(A) with the input and involvement of min-
ers or, where applicable, the representatives of 
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miners develop and implement a comprehensive 
infectious disease exposure control plan to ad-
dress the risk of occupational exposure to 
SARS–CoV–2; and 
(B) provide to miners the necessary per-
sonal protective equipment, disinfectant, ancil-
lary medical supplies, and other applicable sup-
plies determined necessary by the Secretary to 
reduce and limit exposure to SARS–CoV–2 in 
coal or other mines; 
(2) incorporate guidelines— 
(A) issued by the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention and the National Institute 
for Occupational Safety and Health, which are 
designed to prevent the transmission of infec-
tious agents in occupational settings; and 
(B) from relevant scientific research on 
novel pathogens; and 
(3) include a requirement for the recording and 
reporting of all work-related COVID–19 infections 
and deaths as set forth in part 50 of title 30, Code 
of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of 
enactment of this Act). 
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SEC. 3. SURVEILLANCE, TRACKING, AND INVESTIGATION 
OF MINING-RELATED CASES OF COVID–19. 
The Secretary of Labor (acting through the Assistant 
Secretary for Mine Safety and Health), in coordination 
with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention and the Director of the National Institute for 
Occupational Safety and Health, shall— 
(1) collect and analyze case reports and other 
data on COVID–19 to identify and evaluate the ex-
tent, nature, and source of COVID–19 among min-
ers, including the prevalence of and consequences of 
COVID–19 diagnoses among miners also diagnosed 
with pneumoconiosis; 
(2) investigate, as appropriate, individual cases 
of COVID–19 among miners to evaluate the source 
of exposure and adequacy of infectious disease expo-
sure control plans; 
(3) provide regular periodic reports on COVID– 
19 among miners to the public; and 
(4) based on such reports and investigations, 
make recommendations on needed actions or guid-
ance to protect miners from COVID–19. 
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SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
The terms used in this Act have the meanings given 
the terms in section 3 of the Federal Mine Safety and 
Health Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 802). 
Æ 
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