[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 24, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H1854]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          BLACK LUNG BENEFITS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from West 
Virginia (Mr. Jenkins) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JENKINS of West Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor 
today to introduce my first bill, a resolution to protect black lung 
benefits.
  Miners work hard to keep the lights on, to power our homes and 
businesses, and to provide for their own families.
  In West Virginia alone, over 18,000 men and women work in the coal 
mines. It is good work, it is important work, work that puts food on 
the table and provides a better life for their families.
  While great strides have been made in mine safety, some miners will 
still develop black lung disease.
  The Federal Government made a promise decades ago to help coal miners 
and their families if miners develop black lung. Since 1973, miners 
have known that if they get black lung, the Federal Government will be 
there and stand up for them. More than 100,000 miners from West 
Virginia have filed for black lung benefits. And today, almost 5,000 
miners and their families depend on these benefits for care for their 
families when they are no longer able to work.
  Congress must uphold, protect, and secure these crucial benefits for 
our hardworking miners and their families. As we in Congress work on 
health care reform, we must remember the miners who toil above ground 
and underground to power our Nation. Any reforms must secure the black 
lung benefits program and ensure that these critical benefits will be 
available for our miners and their families. We made them a promise. We 
must keep that promise.

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