Bill · H.R. 6756· House(119-HR-6756)
Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 12/16/2025
- Last activity
- 12/16/2025 — Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Sponsored by
- Morgan McGarvey
- Cosponsors
- - 5 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2025 aims to ensure claims for benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act are processed fairly and quickly. It seeks to better protect miners from pneumoconiosis, commonly known as black lung disease. The bill includes provisions to improve the process for filing and adjudicating claims for miners and their families. It also establishes the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs within the Department of Labor. Additionally, the legislation focuses on increasing the financial security of the Black Lung Benefits Disability Trust Fund. Finally, the bill aims to restore adequate benefit adjustments to keep up with the cost of living.
Yes· 3 of 10
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?+8
The bill establishes an irrebuttable presumption of disability for certain medical findings, facilitating faster relief.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+7
The bill provides critical financial assistance and covers medical/legal expenses for low-income claimants.
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+7
The bill improves access to medical evaluations, high-quality scans, and pulmonary experts for claimants.
The opposite
Would business owners be better off under this?-6
Mine operators face significantly higher fines and stricter requirements for self-insurance.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Improved Access to Legal and Medical Support: The bill provides assistance with claims for miners and their dependent family members (Sec. 101) and establishes a program to pay for attorneys' fees and reasonable, unreimbursed medical expenses to help establish a claimant's case (Sec. 106).
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Clearer Eligibility Standards: The bill establishes an irrebuttable presumption of total disability or death due to pneumoconiosis if certain medical tests, such as specific chest radiographs or CT scans, establish the disease (Sec. 102).
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Enhanced Medical Evaluations: The Secretary is required to provide claimants the opportunity for a complete pulmonary evaluation, which may include high-quality chest scans (Sec. 103).
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Fairer Benefit Adjustments: The bill restores benefit adjustments so that payments are no longer tied solely to static pay rates but are instead adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index to keep up with the cost of living (Sec. 107).
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Addressing Past Medical Errors: The bill allows for the readjudication of certain cases involving chest radiographs that were previously used to deny benefits based on discredited expert opinions (Sec. 105).
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Increased Accountability for Coal Companies: The bill implements new requirements for coal mine operators to prove they are financially capable of acting as self-insurers to ensure benefits are paid (Sec. 131).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Penalties for Misrepresentation: Individuals who knowingly make false statements or misrepresentations regarding benefits can face fines and up to five years in prison (Sec. 104).
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Professional Consequences for Experts: Attorneys or expert witnesses who engage in false statements or misrepresentations can be permanently disqualified from representing parties or appearing in proceedings under this title (Sec. 104).
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Legal Sanctions for Discovery Failures: Administrative law judges have the authority to sanction parties that fail to comply with discovery orders, which can include drawing adverse inferences or rendering default decisions (Sec. 104).
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Increased Costs for Mine Operators: Coal mine operators will face higher fines—increasing from $1,000 to $25,000—for failing to secure the payment of benefits (Sec. 131).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For People With Disabilities+8Good For Low Income Households+7Good For Retirees+6Good For Union Workers+6Good For Seniors+5Good For Business Owners-6
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Social Security+5Improves Poverty Reduction+4
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+7
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+3
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Economic Growth+1
- 1/20/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/7/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 12/18/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 12/16/2025
- Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
André CarsonDemocrat · Indiana
Maxine DexterDemocrat · Oregon
Summer LeeDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Robert ScottDemocrat · Virginia
Rashida TlaibDemocrat · Michigan