Bloomberg Law
July 28, 2022, 5:03 PM

Black Lung Benefits for Miners Included in Manchin Spending Deal

Kellie Lunney
Kellie Lunney
Reporter

Coal miners sick from black-lung disease would get a permanent income stream to help fund disability benefits under a spending deal reached by Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin and Chuck Schumer

  • Spending package released Wednesday includes permanent extension of black lung excise tax; advocates had pushed for 10-year extension after prior tax expired at end of 2021
  • Manchin (W.Va.) had introduced stand-alone legislation (S. 2810) to extend the 2021 higher rate through 2031; Manchin said Thursday that including the extension was “something I’ve been committed to for a long time,” and that party’s spending package was the right vehicle
  • Tax contributed ...