[1] Stickler was nominated to the role of Assistant Secretary of Labor in charge of MSHA by President George W. Bush in September 2005.

Robert Byrd and Jay Rockefeller (both of West Virginia) successfully corralling widespread opposition from both Democratic and Republican senators.

[3] In remarks at the time, Senator Rockefeller noted that Stickler had overseen "some of the most dangerous, most frequently cited for safety violations in the entire industry.

On January 4, 2008, President Bush again appointed Stickler as acting head of MSHA,[5] and again renominated him to take the position on a permanent basis.

[6] Stickler reached public notoriety as a result of his role in co-ordinating the rescue effort to find six miners trapped by a collapse at Crandall Canyon Mine in August 2007.