West Virginia lawmakers to talk pensions and retiree healthcare for retired coal miners, Sept. 7 Newsmaker

When Congress returns to Washington after Labor Day, it will turn its attention to bills in both chambers designed to stabilize the pensions and retiree health benefits of retired coal miners.

Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., joined by Rep. David B. McKinley, R-W.VA., will discuss S. 1714, the Miners Protection Act of 2015, and H.R. 2403, the Coal Healthcare and Pension Protection Act at a National Press Club Newsmaker, Wed., Sept 7, at 10 a.m., in the club’s Zenger Room. National Press Club President Thomas Burr will moderate the Newsmaker.

The National Press Club is located on the 13th Floor of the National Press Building, 529 14th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20045. As with all Newsmaker events, this news conference is open to credentialed media and Press Club members, free of charge. No advance registration is required.

Communities across coal country are suffering through a depression as more than 50 coal companies declare bankruptcy, payrolls plummet, and the price of coal collapses. More than 22,000 retired miners or their widows could lose health care benefits early next year; and the pensions of more than 120,000 current and future retirees could be at risk without congressional action.

Retired miners and their supporters will rally outside the U.S. Capitol in support of the pending legislation on Thursday, Sept. 8, the day after the Newsmaker.

The federal government pledged to guarantee health and pension benefits for miners in the Truman Administration, and every Congress and Administration since has honored that pledge when needed. The legislation redirects appropriated, but unspent, Treasury funds made available by Congress in 2006 to be used to make retirees and widows in Kentucky, West Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Alabama whose health care was cut off as a result of recent coal industry bankruptcies eligible for health care coverage under the Coal Act. The legislation also provides that the remainder of the unspent appropriated funds would be applied to the UMWA 1974 Pension Plan to prevent that Plan’s insolvency.

For more information about this event, contact Jamie Horwitz, 202-549-4921 or via email at [email protected]