Stickler nomination on hold

Senator Robert Byrd, D-WV, put a "hold" on the nomination of Richard Stickler as the new head of MSHA. Senator Byrd said he wants to personally meet with Stickler, who for 30 years worked in mine management for Beth Energy and Massey Energy, before he became chief of Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Deep Mine Safety. Senate rules allow any senator to block nominees, and the hold on President Bush's nominee will last for at least another week, since the Senate is on a week-long break. Byrd said in a statement, “I have yet to meet with Mr. Stickler, and I will continue to hold his nomination until I can meet with him to discuss the urgency of coal safety improvements — modern communications equipment, better enforcement of safety laws already on the books, and minimum safety fines to encourage compliance with safety practices. “MSHA’s political leadership seems to have lost sight in recent years that miners’ safety and health is that agency’s top priority,” Byrd added. “Until I know that Mr. Stickler will make safety job number one at MSHA, I will not allow his nomination to move forward.” That means the full Senate can't vote on Stickler until Byrd decides otherwise.