This bill amends the Black Lung Benefits Act to make it easier for survivors of coal miners who died from pneumoconiosis (black lung disease) to receive benefits. The legislation creates rebuttable presumptions that a miner's death was caused by pneumoconiosis if the miner had worked in coal mines for at least ten years or was totally disabled by the disease during their lifetime, shifting the burden of proof away from survivors. The bill also establishes a new payment program, funded by the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, to cover attorneys' fees up to $4,500 per claim and reasonable medical expenses up to $3,000 that miners' families incur while pursuing their cases, with coal operators required to reimburse the fund when claims are successful. These changes apply retroactively to claims filed within the past five years and those still pending when the law takes effect. Additionally, the bill directs the Government Accountability Office to study interim benefit payments, the adequacy of current benefit amounts, and whether survivors should be allowed to file multiple claims over time, with reports due within one year.
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