House gives mine panel OK to depose witnesses

By Suzanne Struglinski
Deseret Morning News
Published: Thursday, Dec. 6, 2007 12:25 a.m. MST
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WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday granted deposition authority to a committee investigating Utah's Crandall Canyon Mine accident, a rare move by the chamber, but one Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., sees as fitting.

The House Education and Labor Committee has been investigating the August accident that killed nine people in Huntington, Emery County, and wants to take statements from people to further its efforts. The House Rules Committee approved Miller's resolution Wednesday, then the House quickly approved it by unanimous consent.

"The committee already has the ability to obtain documentary evidence by subpoena, but to conduct a thorough investigation, we also need to have the ability to compel witnesses to testify at depositions," said Miller, the committee chairman.

"We need to know who knew what, when they knew it, and how they came to know it. We need to know about face-to-face meetings and telephone conversations they had. E-mails and memos are important, but they will only tell a part of the story."

The last time the House approved deposition authority for the committee was during the 105th Congress, which lasted from 1997 to 1999, according to the committee.

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"It is critically important that the families of the miners who died have a full and independent investigation into the disaster that claimed their loved ones," Miller said.

"While we would prefer that individuals come forward voluntarily to supply the committee with information, we are taking this step to ensure that we get the information we need from all relevant witnesses, whether they volunteer the information or not."

The committee did not include a specific list of people it would want to depose with the resolution.

E-mail: suzanne@desnews.com

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