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WASHINGTON (WJHL) — Sens. Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, and other lawmakers have reintroduced legislation they say will help the families of coal miners who died from black lung disease.
The goal of the Relief for Survivors of Miners Act is to reduce red tape and make it easier for those families to receive survivor benefits.
According to Warner’s office, the legislation would:
- Re-establish a rebuttable presumption that a miner’s death was due to black lung if they were disabled due to pneumoconiosis at the time of death;
- Improve access to legal representation for miners and survivors of miners to ensure that individuals are not unable to secure benefits due to a lack of financial resources.
“The last thing grieving families in Virginia’s mining communities should have to worry about is whether or not they’ll be able to put food on the table or a roof over their heads,” Warner said in a release. “But too often survivors of miners who have lost their lives to black lung are denied benefits they deserve because of unfair and unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles. The Relief for Survivors of Miners Act will alleviate this burden for families going through the worst time in their lives.”
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“Virginia’s mining communities have made tremendous sacrifices to power our nation, and the families of miners who lost their lives to black lung disease deserve our support,” Kaine said. “This bill is critical to removing unnecessary red tape that has prevented families from accessing benefits and expanding resources to help families secure the support they need.”
The bill also asks the Government Accountability Office to examine how the black lung benefits claims process could be further improved.
Other lawmakers backing the legislation include Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), and John Fetterman (D-PA).
