H.R. 3625 · 114th Congress
Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2015
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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 114th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
D
CartwrightSponsor3 cosponsors · 3 D
2 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
This bill amends the Black Lung Benefits Act to revise requirements for miners' claims for pneumoconiosis (black lung) benefits.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Sep 28, 2015
Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2015
This bill amends the Black Lung Benefits Act to revise requirements for miners' claims for pneumoconiosis (black lung) benefits.
A mine operator must give a copy of the examining physician's report to miners required to have a medical examination of their respiratory condition.
The Department of Labor must pay the attorneys' fees of prevailing parties on a qualifying black lung 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 miners (including their dependents) totally disabled by black lung.
Black lung clinics may use federal funds to help individuals file black lung benefit claims.
A person may not: (1) make a false statement or misrepresentation in increasing or reducing black lung benefits, or (2) threaten or mislead a participant in a proceeding regarding black lung benefits.
Labor, upon request, must give a claimant the opportunity to substantiate a claim for benefits through a pulmonary evaluation of the miner.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) must establish a pilot program to assure accurate classifications of chest radiographs in black lung cases where the diagnosis is at issue.
Labor, in coordination with NIOSH, must educate certain individuals who work on black lung benefits about medical evidence relevant to claims.
A previously denied claimant may file a claim for black lung benefits within one year after enactment of this Act.
Labor must report to Congress a strategy to reduce the backlog of black lung cases pending before the Office of Administrative Law Judges.
The Government Accountability Office must report on any barriers to health care faced by coal miners with black lung.
The 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.
Establishment of the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs is codified.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2015
Latest action (Mar 23, 2016): Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
Policy area: Labor and Employment · Origin: House · Introduced: Sep 28, 2015
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.