6:00: Morning News

Manchin pushing for Senate action on Miner’s Protection Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin is urging movement in the Senate on passing the Miner’s Protection Act, which would would ensure that the federal government and coal operators honor payment of lifetime pensions and health benefits to retired miners and their families.

Manchin and several other senators wrote a letter last week to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell restating willingness to work in a bipartisan manner to get the law passed.

“We’re going to try to give you a picture of the most patriotic people in America,” Manchin said on the Senate floor. “They’ve done the heavy lifting; they’ve done everything that’s been asked of them by this country to make us the greatest country on earth, a superpower of the world if you will.”

Manchin said that the bill was a promise made in the 40’s during the Truman administration, and it should be honored.

“It’s the only agreement where you have an executive order by the president committing the United States to keep it’s promise to our coal miners who did the job and made our country who we are today. And now, here we are about ready to default on that.”

Manchin urged some movement on the bill, pointing out that many of those depending on the pensions are miners’ widows, and time is running short.

These people are depending on a very meager amount to support any type of a quality of life,” Manchin said. “I hope that we all come to our senses and do something as quickly as possible about this. Their medical runs out at the end of this year. The following year, they lose their pensions too. That’s how desperate this is.”

The letter was also signed by Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). Part of the letter stated the following:

“Seventy years ago this month, President Harry Truman brokered the historic Krug-Lewis agreement that guaranteed health and pension benefits for coal miners who put their lives at risk every day to meet our country’s energy needs. Today, we are on the verge of breaking that promise to over 100,000 miners and their beneficiaries, and the impact will be felt in every state of the union. If Congress does not act, thousands of coal miners, including 3,284 miners, dependents and widows in Kentucky, will lose their retiree health benefits by the end of December and the UMWA 1974 Pension Plan will hit a “point of no return” beginning next year.”

A full video of Manchin’s Senate floor speech last week is available HERE.





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