Proposed Miners Protection Act moving on Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Despite his own concerns about the Miners Protection Act of 2016, U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) offered a version of the bill to members of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee Wednesday who, in turn, approved the proposal with an 18-8 vote.

“The bill before us today represents months of hard work and compromise on the part of members on both sides of aisle on this committee and I would say in the Senate too,” Hatch said at the start of a markup hearing for the modified Miners Protection Act of 2016 along with the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act of 2016.

“As is the case of any major compromise, no one involved thinks the product is perfect and I certainly don’t support everything in this package.”

Though not members of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), who have been vocal proponents of the Miners Protection Act, attended Wednesday’s markup meeting on Capitol Hill.

“Even though it is long overdue, the Miners Protection Act passage through the Senate Finance Committee brings us one step closer to fulfilling the commitment that we made to our miners more than 70 years ago,” Manchin said in a statement.

Approval from the U.S. Senate Finance Committee sets up the Miners Protection Act to move to the U.S. Senate floor. Capito’s goal was to see a floor vote before the close of 2016.

“Today’s strong vote in the Senate Finance Committee indicates a good level of support for the Miners Protection Act and is a good step to ease some of the insecurity our miners are facing,” Capito said.

In general, the proposed bill shores up United Mine Workers of America pension and health benefits programs that are nearing insolvency as fewer coal companies pay into programs seeing growing numbers of beneficiaries.

It affects 120,000 miners and their families including about 22,000 West Virginians.

As proposed, annual transfers in additional funds would come from unspent money in the Abandoned Mine Land Fund until the benefit programs reach actuarially sound levels.

Eligibility for health benefits would be extended to UMWA retirees who’ve lost those benefits following bankruptcy or insolvency of a coal company.

It’s a companion bill to the Coal Mine Healthcare and Pension Protection Act 1st District Congressman David McKinley (R-W.Va.) sponsored in the U.S. House.

“We have been working on this bill for over four years in the House and it’s encouraging to finally see the Senate moving forward on this issue. Our miners have helped power this nation for many decades. They shouldn’t have to worry about losing their pensions and health benefits,” said McKinley.

U.S. Senator Michael Enzi (R-Wy.), an opponent of the Senate bill, argued the UMWA pensions were not the only plans faltering in the U.S. “I’m concerned about pensions for coal miners — all coal miners. I’m concerned about pensions for anyone who’s been promised a pension,” he said.

“I believe the bill sets a dangerous precedent for the other 1,237 multi-employer pension plans that are currently underfunded. The bill bails out a private sector business plan with taxpayer dollars which I do not support.”

If approved, Enzi predicted it would only push the UMWA pension problem onto future members of Congress.

U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.), though, said quick action was needed.

“We’ve got to make sure that we pass this bill and get it to the president so that these health care benefits, in particular, don’t start expiring at the end of this calendar year,” Warner said.

The second bill the U.S. Senate Finance Committee marked up Wednesday,the Retirement Enhancement and Savings Act of 2016, was a combination package of retirement policy proposals written to encourage and support retirement savings among Americans.

 





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