"If you prick us, do we not bleed?"

Stickler appeared Tuesday afternoon before a U.S. Senate committee that is considering his confirmation as the new assistant secretary of labor in charge of the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Following two major mining accidents in West Virginia last month, Stickler faced tough questions from Democrats on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions over MSHA’s record under Bush.

Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, the panel’s ranking Democrat, said that he wants to reverse a trend through which Bush “has often given mine safety short shrift.”

“We need a person of vision, who will be an aggressive leader in strengthening MSHA and preventing future tragedies like the two we have already experienced,” Kennedy said.

“I am concerned that Mr. Stickler may not be that person,” Kennedy said. “Mr. Stickler’s history is long on coal production experience but short on ensuring worker safety.”

Stickler, 61, spent about 30 years working for coal companies, primarily as a mine manager for Bethlehem Steel’s coal arm. He worked briefly for Massey Energy, and then became chief of Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Deep Mine Safety.

If confirmed, Stickler would take over for David G. Dye, who has been running MSHA as acting assistant secretary since Dave D. Lauriski resigned shortly after President Bush won re-election.