Legislators Introduce Two New Bills to Protect Mining Workers
The laws would aid miners affected by black lung disease and combat silica dust rule challenges.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Dec 20, 2023
Legislators and advocates united to call on Congress to pass critical legislation aiding mining workers. U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.) and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) led the charge, introducing two bills aimed at improving the lives of coal miners and their families.
In a recent press conference, Representative McGarvey introduced the Relief for Survivors of Miners Act of 2023. This bill seeks to simplify the process for survivors during the period following a miner's death. The bill proposes improved access to legal representation for miners and their families, ensuring lack of financial resources does not bar them from securing benefits.
Meanwhile, the Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act—for which Senator Casey is a lead sponsor—aims to resolve several challenges miners encounter with black lung benefits. Notable provisions include ensuring representation through the claims process, adjusting benefits calculations to reflect real living costs and inflation and imposing stronger requirements on coal companies to cover black lung liabilities, preventing them from using bankruptcy as a shield.
The conference also brought attention to recent legislative maneuvers opposing the implementation of new silica dust standards. These standards aim to protect miners from the increased risk of black lung disease caused by exposure to toxic silica dust. They are facing defunding efforts led by some House members, such as Representative Scott Perry (R-Pa.).
“The amendment is extremely disappointing,” Quenton King, Federal Legislative Specialist at Appalachian Voices, a nonprofit advocating for clean energy. “Thousands of coal miners, and other miners, will be subject to continued risk of black lung disease if this rule can’t be enforced. Even a one year delay is too long to wait, after how long miners and their families have needed such a rule to protect them from deadly silica dust. MSHA hasn’t even finished reviewing comments before Representative Perry’s attempt to block the rule.”
The silica dust standard was last updated in 1985. Today, exposure is even higher. Silica dust is reportedly 20 more times more toxic than coal dust and has been identified as a leading cause of black lung and related respiratory conditions.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.