H.R. 9556

119 HR 9556 IH: Support Our Miners Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
 2026-06-30
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 I  119th CONGRESS  2d Session  H. R. 9556  IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   June 30, 2026   Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania  (for herself,  Mr. Deluzio , and  Mr. McGarvey ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the  Committee on Education and Workforce    A BILL
To amend the Black Lung Benefits Act to provide adequate benefits for miners suffering from black lung disease, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Support Our Miners Act  .
2.
Findings
Congress finds the following:
(1)
Tens of thousands of coal miners across the country are disabled by, or have died from, black lung disease. Such miners and their families rely on black lung benefits as provided under section 412 of the Black Lung Benefits Act ( 30 U.S.C. 922 ) to pay for their healthcare and to provide monthly compensation.
(2)
When section 412 of the Black Lung Benefits Act ( 30 U.S.C. 922 ) was enacted in 1969, a miner received about $144.50 per month to help support their cost of living, equating to about $1,252.53 annually in today’s currency, adjusting for inflation.
(3)
The benefit rate, as established in 1969, has not kept up with the cost of living. Today, miners receive nearly 40 percent less than the value of the original amount adjusting for inflation.
3.
Adequate benefits for miners
Section 412(a) of the Black Lung Benefits Act ( 30 U.S.C. 922(a)(1) ) is amended in the first paragraph—
(1)
by striking  during the disability  and inserting  during the disability: ;
(2)
by striking  at a rate  and inserting the following:
(A)
For any calendar year preceding 2026, at a rate
 ; and
(3)
by striking  step 1.  and inserting
step 1.
(B)
For calendar year 2026, for each month after the date of enactment of the  Support Our Miners Act  for which benefits are payable to such miner, at a monthly pay rate equal to the quotient of—
(i)
$15,030, and
(ii)
12.
(C)
For calendar year 2027 and each succeeding calendar year—
(i)
at an annual rate equal to the product of—
(I)
(aa)
for calendar 2027, $15,030; or
(bb)
for a calendar year after calendar year 2027, the annual rate determined under this subparagraph for the calendar year immediately preceding the calendar year for which the determination is being made under this subparagraph, and
(II)
the greater of one or the ratio of—
(aa)
the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for the calendar year immediately preceding the calendar year for which the determination is being made under this subparagraph; to
(bb)
such Consumer Price Index for the second calendar year preceding the calendar year for which the determination is being made under this subparagraph; and
(ii)
at a monthly rate equal to the quotient of—
(I)
the annual rate determined under clause (i) for the calendar year for which the determination is being made under this subparagraph; and
(II)
12.
 .