3.0.0 855 2023-01-11T13:36:59Z 2023-01-11T13:36:59Z Senate S 2017-04-05 115 sshr00 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Senate Standing Referred to 2017-04-05T21:46:45Z Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2017 115 1912 HR 2017-04-05 Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. Related bill CRS 2017-04-05 sshr00 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Senate Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. IntroReferral 2017-04-05 Introduced in Senate IntroReferral 10000 9 Library of Congress C001070 Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA] Bob Casey D PA N B000944 Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH] Sherrod Brown D OH 2017-04-05 True M001183 Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV] Joseph Manchin D WV 2017-04-05 True K000384 Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] Timothy Kaine D VA M. 2017-04-05 True W000805 Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA] Mark Warner D VA R. 2017-04-05 True Labor and Employment Administrative law and regulatory procedures Administrative remedies Cardiovascular and respiratory health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Coal Congressional oversight Department of Labor Disability assistance Evidence and witnesses Executive agency funding and structure Fraud offenses and financial crimes Government information and archives Government studies and investigations Health information and medical records Health personnel Legal fees and court costs Medical ethics Medical tests and diagnostic methods Mining Social security and elderly assistance Tax administration and collection, taxpayers User charges and fees Wages and earnings Worker safety and health Labor and Employment 00 2017-04-05 Introduced in Senate 2018-08-08T21:04:14Z Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2017

This bill amends the Black Lung Benefits Act to revise requirements for miners' claims for pneumoconiosis (black lung) benefits.

The Department of Labor must pay the attorneys' fees of prevailing parties on a qualifying benefit claim.

This bill revises: (1) the standards of medical evidence that establish a presumption that a miner is totally disabled by black lung, and (2) payments to such miners, including their dependents.

Black lung clinics may use federal funds to help individuals file claims.

A person may not: (1) knowingly and willfully make a false statement or misrepresentation in increasing or reducing black lung benefits, or (2) threaten or mislead a participant in a proceeding regarding the benefits.

Labor, upon request, must give a claimant the opportunity to substantiate a claim for benefits through a pulmonary evaluation of the miner. Labor must also authorize a CT (computerized tomography) scan in diagnosing complicated pneumoconiosis.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health must establish a pilot program to ensure accurate classifications of chest radiographs in black lung cases where the diagnosis is at issue.

Labor must educate certain individuals who work on black lung benefits about medical evidence relevant to claims.

A previously denied claimant may file a new claim for black lung benefits within one year.

This bill amends the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 to direct Labor to use data from continuous personal dust monitors to determine whether to make changes to respirable dust concentration standards, controls, and measurements.

This bill provides statutory authority for the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.

]]> Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2017 Display Title Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2017 Official Title as Introduced A bill to ensure that claims for benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act are processed in a fair and timely manner, to better protect miners from pneumoconiosis (commonly known as "black lung disease"), and for other purposes. Introduced in Senate IS Short Titles as Introduced Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2017 Introduced in Senate 2017-04-05T04:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-115s855is/xml/BILLS-115s855is.xml 2017-04-05 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.