RECLAIM Act
Local black lung resolution is picking up steam
Most recent update as of Jan 2, 2019: Sixteen local governments in Kentucky have passed local resolutions in 2018 calling on Senator McConnell and other members of Congress to do right by our miners and communities by passing the RECLAIM Act, strengthening funding for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, and protecting miners' pensions.
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The resolution was first adopted by the City of Benham in Harlan County in September 2018. That action was followed quickly by local governments in the cities of Jackson, Morehead and Whitesburg, and in Breathitt, Knott, Letcher, Rowan and Pike counties.
Knott, Letcher, Rowan and Pike counties became the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th local governments in eastern Kentucky to pass a local resolution calling on members of Congress to pass several bills needed to help sick, disabled, retired and unemployed coal miners and their communities. The fiscal courts in Letcher and Knott counties took the unanimous action at their respective monthly meetings on October 15, and Pike and Rowan counties acted the next day.
Update 11.30.2018: The Floyd County Fiscal Court became the 10th Kentucky community to pass the resolution on October 18. Magoffin County quickly became the 11th, followed by Ohio County, in Western Kentucky, Knox County, and the City of Lynch in Harlan County.
Update 12.10.2018: Johnson County's Fiscal Court passed the 15th resolution in Kentucky by local governments calling on Senator McConnell and other members of Congress to do right by our miners and coal communities!
Update in late December: Harlan County's Fiscal Court passed the 16th resolution urging Congress to pass the RECLAIM Act, strengthen the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, and protect miners' pensions.
City of Jackson Black Lung / RECLAIM / Pension Resolution
In October 2018 the City of Jackson, Kentucky in Breathitt County unanimously passed a local resolution calling on Congress to pass the RECLAIM Act, strengthen the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, and protect the pension fund that supports miners who worked for coal companies that have since gone bankrupt.
Benham & Jackson are first Kentucky cities to pass a local resolution supporting miners and communities
The Benham City Council in Harlan County and Jackson City Council in Breathitt County are the first local governments in Kentucky to pass a local resolution calling on members of Congress to pass three bills needed to help sick, disabled, retired and unemployed coal workers and their families and communities. Benham’s city government took the unanimous action at its monthly meeting on September 13. Jackson's city government adopted the resolution one week later on September 20, 2018.
Advocates hope other local governments may soon follow their example. A similar resolution was adopted several weeks ago in Virginia by the City of Big Stone Gap.
Local Resolution passed by Benham, 9.13.2018
On September 13, 2018 the City of Benham passed a local resolution calling on members of Congress to pass the RECLAIM Act, strengthen the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, and protect pensions promised to miners and their surviving spouses.
A Kentucky conversation about ways to help pass the RECLAIM Act and strengthen the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund
You are invited to join a video conference call at 7 pm ET on Monday, August 20, to learn ways Kentuckians can help pass several bills in Congress that are needed to assist disabled, sick, and laid off coal miners and their families and communities.
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