Bush Mine Safety Administrator Walks Out of Senate Hearing

Is there anyone in this administration who doesn't have contempt for Congress? That was my thought after reading Think Progresses report on this case.

On Monday, David Dye, the acting administrator of the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration was testifying before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on mine safety. He was scheduled for 2 hours of questioning. After an hour he left, even though Arlen Specter (R-PA) said "I can understand your pressing other business. It may well be that some of the senators here have pressing matters, too. We don't think we are imposing too much to keep you here for another hour...That's the committee's request, but you're not under subpoena..."

Think Progress's description was "Unfortunately, David Dye has a busy schedule. After an hour of questioning, Dye announced he had 'some really pressing matters' to attend to, and asked to leave the hearing." Makes it sound pretty bad. But I also give Think Progress credit for pointing to the video of the event. If you watch that, you hear Mr. Dye say: "We've still got a mine fire going, we have a rescue team, that's in the Sago mine and another mine fire that no one has heard of burning in Colorado. We have really urgent matters that we need to go back to attend. We've been diverted dealing with these matters, we were happy to prepare for this meeting but we really need to get back and attend those. There's 15,000 mines in the US and we've got some really pressing matters."

Seems a little different when you hear that doesn't it? I'm not sure what to think. If those are really out of the ordinary they seem more pressing then questions from a senator on past events; they could wait a week no problem. Or is it the case that with 15,000 mines there's always stuff going on and the head of the agency isn't needed to deal with it? Or is it the case that the $2.8 million removed from the agency's budget over the last 10 years (not keeping up with inflation) causing the loss of 183 staff members, really has made the agency incapable of dealing with such events? Then again, it is Congress that makes the budget and this is the appropriations committee. I don't know.