“Dozens of coal miners are expected on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, where they’ll press federal regulators and members of Congress to address the epidemic of deadly progressive massive fibrosis, the advanced stage of black lung disease.
They’ll ask lawmakers to fully restore a coal excise tax that pays for medical care and some living expenses for miners diagnosed with black lung, a crippling disease caused by the inhalation of coal and silica dust. The tax was cut more than 50% at the end of last year. It supports the federal Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, which is more than $4 billion in debt.”
Read more here: https://www.npr.org/2019/07/23/743152782/coal-miners-to-demand-congress-restore-full-black-lung-benefits-tax