Relief for Survivors of Miners Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- S. 3505
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Labor and Employment
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-12-16: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Last Updated
- 2026-01-13T23:14:36Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation amends the Black Lung Benefits Act to simplify the process by which survivors of coal miners can obtain benefits when a miner's death is due to pneumoconiosis (black lung disease). It eases evidentiary requirements, restores certain prior rules, and creates a new payment program for legal and medical costs.
Key Provisions
- Rebuttable Presumptions: Modifies Section 411(c) to allow a presumption that a miner's death was caused by pneumoconiosis if the miner worked at least 10 years in coal mines or was totally disabled by the disease. The presumption can be rebutted only by showing that no part of the death was caused by pneumoconiosis.
- Conforming Language Change: Replaces the term "respirable" with "respiratory" in the relevant section.
- Restoration of Pre-1981 Rules: Amends Sections 401(a) and 411(a) to allow benefits for survivors of miners who were totally disabled by pneumoconiosis at the time of death.
- Attorneys' Fees and Medical Expenses Payment Program: Establishes a new program under which the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund pays approved attorneys' fees (up to $4,500 total) and unreimbursed medical expenses (up to $3,000) for qualifying contested claims that have not received a final order within one year. Operators must reimburse the fund if benefits are ultimately awarded.
- GAO Reports: Requires the Government Accountability Office to study interim benefit payments, the adequacy of current benefit levels, and the effects of allowing subsequent claims by survivors after a final determination.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Lowers the standard for proving causation in survivor claims by limiting rebuttal options and adding a new presumption for totally disabled miners.
- Restores eligibility language removed in 1981 for survivors of totally disabled miners.
- Introduces a new federal payment mechanism for attorneys' fees and medical costs in delayed claims, shifting initial costs to the Trust Fund with later reimbursement by operators.
- Applies the presumption and restoration changes retroactively to claims filed up to five years before enactment that remain pending.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Increases use of the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund for interim payments and new fee/expense coverage; requires the Department of Labor to administer the new payment program within 180 days; mandates GAO reviews of benefit processes and amounts.
- Citizens: Makes it easier for eligible survivors to obtain benefits and reduces financial barriers to pursuing claims; may affect interim benefit recoupment processes if claims are later denied.
- International Relations: No direct effects identified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Survivors of coal miners diagnosed with pneumoconiosis.
- Coal mine operators and their insurers (increased liability and reimbursement obligations).
- The Department of Labor and the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund.
- Attorneys representing claimants.
- Coal miners currently receiving or seeking benefits.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill expands presumptions that shift the burden of proof, which may affect the volume of claims and litigation under the existing administrative process. It creates a new administrative payment program with reimbursement enforcement provisions modeled on existing compensation orders. No constitutional issues are addressed in the text. The legislation applies only to domestic coal mining benefits and has no international components.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (2)
Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA], Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]
Recent Actions
- 2025-12-16: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2025-12-16: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Relief for Survivors of Miners Act of 2025 — issued 2025-12-16 — PDF (10 pages)