Findings

Congress finds the following: (1) Tens of thousands of coal miners across the country are disabled by, or have died from, black lung disease. Such miners and their families rely on black lung benefits as provided under section 412 of the Black Lung Benefits Act (30 U.S.C. 922) to pay for their healthcare and to provide monthly compensation. (2) When section 412 of the Black Lung Benefits Act (30 U.S.C. 922) was enacted in 1969, a miner received about $144.50 per month to help support their cost of living, equating to about $1,252.53 annually in today’s currency, adjusting for inflation. (3) The benefit rate, as established in 1969, has not kept up with the cost of living. Today, miners receive nearly 40 percent less than the value of the original amount adjusting for inflation.