FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 13, 2022
UMWA APPRECIATES SEN. MANCHIN’S WORK ON BLACK LUNG BENEFITS
[TRIANGLE, VA.] United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil
E. Roberts issued the following statement today:
“It has been a constant struggle to preserve funding for the benefits that flow from the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund to the victims of this insidious disease. These miners and their widows need to have the security of knowing that these benefits are available to them and that they will be protected.
“The UMWA has been working side-by-side with Senator Manchin for years to strengthen and expand black lung benefits. He has never wavered in his commitment to, first, ensuring that the benefits will be paid; and second, to improve the law to make it less likely future miners will contract this always-fatal disease.
“As negotiations continue for potential legislation that could move in the Congress, we have full confidence that Senator Manchin is working hard to include language that will preserve the Trust Fund and preserve these benefits. We stand ready to assist him and any others in Congress to get this done.”
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