Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell unveiled a bill to permanently provide healthcare to retired coal miners, but he has paired the legislation with a language calling on Congress to roll back environmental regulations that hurt the coal industry.
The latter provision is likely to cost the legislation the support of many Democrats, who have been clamoring for a permanent fix for coal miner health benefits.
But McConnell, R-Ky., said the two issues are linked.
“Recognizing the damage that has been done over the past eight years, my legislation also calls on Congress to work with the incoming Trump administration to repeal regulations that are harming the coal industry and to support economic development efforts in coal country,” McConnell said Tuesday.
McConnell introduced the bill just as the chief proponent of extending miner benefits introduced a bipartisan measure extending benefits that excludes the language on environmental regulations.
Rep. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., introduced bipartisan legislation co-sponsored by eight coal-state lawmakers that would ensure retired coal miners receive lifetime pensions and health benefits. Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., are so far the only GOP senators to sign onto the bill.
“Our coal miners are some of the hardest working people in America, and they have dedicated their lives to powering this nation and keeping it the strongest in the world,” Manchin said. “We have a responsibility to protect their hard-earned pensions and health benefits.”
Manchin has been calling for a permanent extension of benefits since last year, when Congress agreed to add an additional four months of health benefits to a short-term government funding measure. The federal government committed to providing the benefits for miners 70 years ago.
When asked about McConnell’s competing bill, Manchin spokesperson Jonathan Kott said Manchin has not reviewed it.
“We have not seen the text of the bill, but we are hopeful that Leader McConnell’s bill provides a permanent healthcare fix for retired miners and widows, and is capable of getting sixty votes like Senator Manchin’s bill,” Kott said.
McConnell’s bill, the Helping Ensure Long-term Protection (HELP) for Coal Miner Health Care Act, would provide a permanent extension of healthcare benefits for miners.
It calls on Congress “to work with the Trump Administration to repeal onerous regulations that have contributed to the downfall of the coal industry and to support economic growth efforts in coal country.” It would also require a periodic audit of the healthcare benefits plan, “to ensure taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely.”
