Rousselot (R-CA) amendment to the Labor-Health Appropriations bill, to stop enforcement of the Mine Safety & Health Administration regulations for surface mining of sand, gravel and stone. This removed 162,000 sand, gravel and stone miners from the protection of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Theoretically these miners are still protected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) but that heavily overworked agency has no expertise in conducting mine inspections, and has not hired anyone to do so. 86% of all sand and gravel operators are exempt from OSHA in any case. Sand, gravel and stone mining is actually more dangerous that surface mining of coal, and accounts for 50% of the deaths in the non-coal mining industry. Environmentalists support a safe and healthy workplace environment. Amendment adopted 254-165; October 6, 1981. NO is the pro-environmental vote.