Rep. John Kline (R-MN), the top Republican on the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement after reports that 25 miners lost their lives at the Upper Big Branch mine in Whitesville, West Virginia, and another four miners remain missing:
“My thoughts and prayers are with the families whose loved ones have died or are still missing. The entire Whitesville community has suffered a tragic loss. In the coming days, weeks, and months, the proper federal and state officials must undertake a thorough investigation to determine what went wrong. Our immediate focus, however, must be to ensure the safety of the rescue and recovery teams so that no more lives will be lost."
