Bills · S 3505
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
Senate BillS 3505Labor and Employment
Relief for Survivors of Miners Act of 2025
INTRO DEC 16· LAST ACTION DEC 16
READING
7MIN
COSPONSORS
2
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed Senate
Passed House
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it addresses a long-standing challenge faced by the families of coal miners: the difficulty and financial burden of proving that a miner's death was due to black lung disease in order to receive federal benefits. If this bill becomes law, it will simplify the claims process for these vulnerable families, providing a clearer path to financial support they may desperately need.
Currently, many survivors struggle with the complex legal process and the costs associated with gathering medical evidence and hiring lawyers, often enduring long waits for a final decision. By making it easier to establish a connection between black lung and death, and by providing upfront assistance for legal and medical costs, the bill aims to ensure more deserving families receive benefits. Without this bill, the process remains lengthy, costly, and often daunting, potentially leaving many eligible survivors without the support intended by the Black Lung Benefits Act.
KEY PROVISIONS
5AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Changes the legal rules so that if a miner worked for at least 10 years in a coal mine and died from a respiratory disease, or was totally disabled by black lung in life, there's a strong assumption their death was due to black lung.
This makes it significantly harder for benefit claims to be denied, easing the burden of proof for survivors.
PROVISION 02
Restores certain rules from before 1981 concerning what counts as 'total disability' due to black lung, potentially making it easier for survivors to qualify for benefits.
This provision aims to bring back a more favorable standard for claimants, increasing the likelihood of benefit approval.
PROVISION 03
Establishes a new government program to pay attorneys' fees (up to $4,500) and reasonable medical expenses (up to $3,000) for survivors pursuing contested black lung benefits claims that take over a year.
This helps survivors afford legal representation and medical evidence without out-of-pocket costs, improving access to justice.
PROVISION 04
Requires coal mine operators to reimburse the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund for any attorneys' fees and medical expenses paid by the new program if the claim is eventually approved.
This ensures that responsible coal companies ultimately bear the costs associated with their former employees' black lung disease, rather than the trust fund in the long run.
PROVISION 05
The changes to presumptions and disability rules are retroactive, applying to claims filed up to five years before the bill's enactment date that are still pending.
This means current and recently-filed claims could benefit from the new, more favorable rules, rather than only future claims.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 2
D· Virginia
YRS IN OFFICE
17
BILLS LED
59
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 2 REP 0 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSDEC 16
Introduced in Senate
DEC 16
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
BILL INFO
TypeSenate Bill
NumberS 3505
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedDec 16, 2025
Last actionDec 16, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED DEC 16, 2025
Senate BillS 3505Labor and Employment
Relief for Survivors of Miners Act of 2025
INTRODUCED DEC 16, 2025· LAST ACTION DEC 16, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
7 min
COSPONSORS
2
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
