WARNER, KAINE, HICKENLOOPER, FETTERMAN RELEASE GAO REPORT HIGHLIGHTING GAPS IN BLACK LUNG BENEFITS FOR MINERS AND FAMILIES GAPS IN BLACK LUNG BENEFITS FOR MINERS AND FAMILIES

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- Sen. Tim Kaine issued the following press release:

U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner (D-VA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced the release of a study conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate the adequacy of black lung benefits to meet the income and health care needs of disabled miners and their families. The senators requested (https://www.warner.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warner-leads-colleagues-in-push-to-assess-adequacy-of-black-lung-benefits/) the report from the GAO in March 2023 in order to inform policy aimed at helping coal miners and their families in the Appalachian region.

"For years we have heard from coal miners and their famili...