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The Black Lung Benefits Program (CRS Report for Congress)

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Release Date June 12, 2002
Report Number RS21239
Report Type Report
Authors Edward Rappaport, Domestic Social Policy Division
Source Agency Congressional Research Service
Summary:

The federal black lung program (codified at 30 U.S.C. 901 et seq.) providesmedical and income assistance to coal mine workers who suffer disability or death dueto pneumoconiosis and related diseases. One of the goals of the program was to makebenefits more readily available than they might be under state workers compensationlaws. Thus, it uses certain streamlined rules of evidence, but pursuing cases can still berather involved. A trust fund, supported by a tax on coal, was established to finance thebenefits, but the fund has chronically been in deficit. The Treasury Department hasproposed a refinancing that would eventually extinguish the accumulated debt.