The Trump administration and coal industry allies are insisting that a federal black lung trust fund will continue to pay benefits to sick miners despite a drastic cut in funding. "The U.S. Treasury is required by statute to make repayable advances to the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund so that it can meet its obligations," the statement said. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had pledged last year to not let the tax rate expire, but that didn't happen. Addington, executive director of the Appalachian Citizens Law Center in Whitesburg, Kentucky, said he has seen a spike in miners seeking black lung claims, and the CDC has reported on the proliferation of a serious strain of black lung that is sickening miners at younger ages. "We're not only seeing more claims, most of the claims we're getting are much more severe cases of black lung than ever came into this office a decade ago," Addington said.

Source: ABC News March 20, 2019 21:52 UTC