Support Black Lung benefits for miners and their families

This September, a delegation of nearly 40 Appalachians from at least eight states – including eight KFTC members – are in Washington DC to meet with members of Congress and push for urgently needed legislation for a Just Transition for miners, their families and their communities. 

Show your support by signing a petition at www.blacklungkills.com

KFTC’s delegation, part of a larger group organized by the Alliance for Appalachia, has scheduled meetings with all eight members of Congress from Kentucky, including Senators McConnell and Paul, plus Representatives Jamie Comer, Brett Guthrie, John Yarmuth, Thomas Massie, Andy Barr, and Hal Rogers.

The KFTC delegation includes three retired miners with black lung and five others who have close family members with the disease. KFTC member Joanne Hill explains why she has made the trip.

“I was born and raised in Harlan County," Hill said.  "My family, well I come from a long line of coal miners. My father had black lung, my brother had it, and my two grandfathers had it. One of my grandfathers had it so bad, there were times he had to use his hands to push his lungs up to breathe. Congress needs to strengthen funding for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund.”

“Also, everywhere we look in my area of Kentucky, we see the devastation that strip-mining has caused. Passing the RECLAIM Act is really important to put jobs back in our communities and make something good come out of all the destruction the coal companies left behind,” Hill said.

The lobbying effort in DC is part of a broader strategy by KFTC and our allies to advance three bills needed for a Just Transition for coal miners, their families, and communities. Specifically, we are calling on Senator McConnell and other members of Congress to take action this fall on:

a) A bill (not yet filed) to strengthen the solvency of the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund.

b) The RECLAIM Act (H.R. 1731), sponsored by U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, to create thousands of good reclamation jobs and support longer-term economic development initiatives.

c) The American Miners Pension Act (H.R. 3913 / S. 1911), which ensures that the UMWA's 1974 Pension Plan can continue to pay pensions to retired miners and surviving spouses.

Show your support by signing a petition at www.blacklungkills.com

In addition to meeting with members of Congress, KFTC members are working to:

• pass local resolutions in support of these three pieces of legislation (Contact [email protected] to learn how to bring this to your city or county.)

• gather signatures on post cards to Senator McConnell,

• gather petition signatures about the Black Lung Trust Fund

• gather signatures on a letter to members of Congress about all three measures

• have conversations with thousands of Kentuckians about these issues and the importance of voting on November 6th. 

Your help is needed! Please sign the petition today, and share this page with people in your network. Contact [email protected] if you’d like to learn more and take additional actions.