The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill introduced by U.S. Rep.

Jason Altmire, D-4th, to help veterans start small businesses and to protect reservists from losing their companies during their deployments.The measure, the Military Reservist and Veteran Small Business Reauthorization and Opportunity Act, was approved by a 406-2 vote.The bill now goes to the Senate for final approval and, if passed, will go to the President Bush for his signature."The unemployment rate among veterans is more than twice the national average. This clearly shows that not enough is being done to help veterans obtain quality jobs,"Altmire said."I'm hopeful my bill can help provide veterans with the opportunity to succeed as small business owners and drive down the veterans' unemployment rate."Altmire's bill would provide $4.4 million to Small Business Administration's Office of Veteran Business Development to increase the number and the capacity of Veterans Business Outreach Centers nationwide.Western Pennsylvania has one Veterans Business Outreach Center at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh.Additionally, Altmire noted, the measure would improve programs designed to help relieve the burden placed on small business owners during and after deployments. He said 55 percent of reservists who are self-employed lose income when they go on active duty.The bill also would improve a reservist loan program by extending the application period from three months to one year, and by increasing the maximum loan amount to $2 million.———The state Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, chaired by

Sen. Mary Jo White, R-21st, this week approved the first comprehensive rewrite of Pennsylvania's mine safety laws in nearly 50 years."Mining has a long, proud tradition in Pennsylvania, producing jobs for communities and energy for the nation, White said. "Enactment of this legislation will represent the culmination of a strenuous effort to make this inherently dangerous job safer."White, Democratic Committee Chairman Raphael Musto and the bill's sponsor, Sen. Richard Kasunic, D-Fayette, worked closely with state Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty, DEP officials, coal mine operators and mine union officials in preparing the legislation. Pennsylvania's mine safety statute was last updated in 1961.White said the bill would create a new Board of Coal Mine Safety to keep Pennsylvania's mine safety standards regularly updated.The legislation also calls for greater responsibility for operators to ensure the safety, and enables the state to establish a central database of maps of mines throughout the state, White said.———U.S. Reps.

Phil English, R-3rd, and

Jason Altmire, D-4th, this week applauded the administration's decision to release $450 million in emergency Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program funding to help needy Americans pay for heating.Pennsylvania received $44 million in funding.LIHEAP helps low-income households across the nation by providing money to help pay for heating and air conditioning costs. Additional information on the program and LIHEAP applications are available at the Butler County Assistance Office, 108 Woody Drive in Butler; or visit: www.dpw.state.pa.us/ServicesPrograms/LIHEAP.