The Mine Safety and Health Administration has released a report citing lightning as the cause of the Sago mine disaster which killed 12 miners, according to The New York Times. As OMB Watch reported in March, the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) claims friction within the mine caused the explosion. UMWA President Cecil Roberts called the MSHA report "far-fetched."

BNA Money and Politics ($$) envisions an intense conflict over lobby reform, warning that a "battle is heating up in the House over disclosure requirements for paid grass-roots lobbying, with opponents criticizing a new proposal (H.R. 2093)." The article describes the outpouring of opposition to the bill (H.R. 2093), which would only require disclosure by grassroots lobbying firms that that receive more than $100,000 a quarter. The bill was introduced so that it could be offered as an amendment if such language is not included in the overall lobbying and ethics bill.

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Early yesterday, the Senate voted favorably (63-28) to end debate on the drug importation provision of the PDUFA reauthorization legislation. The rest of the day was sucked into a sort of legislative vacuum, and no further progress was made. A final vote on the amendment will occur early next week. A vote on the entire bill may also occur next week. "Senate Likely to Back Drug Reimportation" [Washington Post]