Bill Summary
The Health Benefits for Miners Act of 2019 is a proposed bill that seeks to amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. The purpose of the bill is to ensure that certain retirees are included in the Multiemployer Health Benefit Plan. This plan provides health benefits to coal miners and their dependents. The bill specifies that retirees who are affected by bankruptcy proceedings that occurred in 2012, 2015, or 2018 will be eligible for the health benefits. It also expands the definition of a "related coal wage agreement" to include agreements between the United Mine Workers of America and coal industry employers. These amendments will take effect for fiscal years beginning after September 30, 2018.
Possible Impacts
1. The Health Benefits for Miners Act of 2019 could potentially provide retired miners with access to healthcare benefits through their former employers, helping to alleviate financial strain for both the retirees and their families.
2. The inclusion of related coal wage agreements in the legislation could also impact the financial stability of coal companies, potentially leading to changes in employment or benefits for current employees.
3. The effective date of the amendments could cause confusion and disruption for those affected, as they may have to wait until the next fiscal year to see the full effects of the changes.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 934 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 934
To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to
include certain retirees in the Multiemployer Health Benefit Plan, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 31, 2019
Mr. Scott of Virginia (for himself and Ms. Wilson of Florida)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to
include certain retirees in the Multiemployer Health Benefit Plan, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Health Benefits for Miners Act of
2019''.
SEC. 2. INCLUSION IN MULTIEMPLOYER HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN.
(a) In General.--Section 402(h)(2)(C) of the Surface Mining Control
and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1232(h)(2)(C)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``the Health Benefits for Miners Act of
2017'' both places it appears in clause (ii) and inserting
``the Health Benefits for Miners Act of 2019'';
(2) by striking ``, would be denied or reduced as a result
of a bankruptcy proceeding commenced in 2012 or 2015'' in
clause (ii)(II) and inserting ``or a related coal wage
agreement, would be denied or reduced as a result of a
bankruptcy proceeding commenced in 2012, 2015, or 2018'';
(3) by striking ``January 1, 2017'' in clause (ii) and
inserting ``January 1, 2019''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following new clause:
``(vi) Related coal wage agreement.--For
purposes of clause (ii), the term `related coal
wage agreement' means an agreement between the
United Mine Workers of America and an employer
in the bituminous coal industry that--
``(I) is a signatory operator; or
``(II) is or was a debtor in a
bankruptcy proceeding that was
consolidated, administratively or
otherwise, with the bankruptcy
proceeding of a signatory operator or a
related person to a signatory operator
(as those terms are defined in section
9701(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986).''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply to fiscal years beginning after September 30, 2018.
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