Senate approves spending bill, averts government shutdown

Flint, Michigan, which has endured a two-and-a-half-year struggle with lead-contaminated drinking water, would get access to a $170 million fund for infrastructure improvements and lead poisoning prevention under the bill. The health benefits at issue, which are set to expire at the end of this year, would be continued for the same length.

A coal miner walks outside the entrance to the Gateway Eagle Mine in Pond Fork, West Virginia, on March 13.

Without Congress’s help, about 16,000 retired miners in seven states will lose their health care coverage by the end of the year.

The spending bill passed by the House would keep the government running through April 28 and provide $10 billion in supplemental war funding and $4 billion more for disaster relief for Louisiana and other states.

Supporters have pointed to a 1946 agreement involving President Harry Truman’s administration, which averted a strike and guaranteed health care and pension benefits to the union members. Before stalling up the continuing resolution, he threatened to filibuster a bill recognizing veterans of Pearl Harbor.

On Friday evening Manchin essentially conceded defeat after realizing he did not have sufficient support to achieve the benefit extension.

Here we go again – the Senate is still negotiating aspects on a key spending bill, and the lack of action could lead to a shutdown at midnight Friday.

Manchin has already proved he has the leadership and passion to do the right thing to protect coal miners’ health care and pensions.

“Were going to stick together on this, and this is really important to Democrats, ” Brown said. “It’s about a promise”. “These miners and their families kept their promise, put their lives at risk”.

Other funding in the bill would help fix highways damaged by flooding and provide assistance through Community Development Block Grants for areas hit hardest in the eastern part of the state.

More recently, Congress passed legislation in 1992 to preserve benefits for UMW retirees, as coal companies tried to abandon the union’s national contract and benefit programs. “They called and said, ‘We know you’re fighting for miners”. “They ought to actually be grateful for what they got”.

Even the state’s GOP senator is willing to go along with a shutdown. Sen.

The spending bill, though, extends those benefits for another four months – effectively until the next funding bill is needed at the end of April. McConnell wouldn’t budge until this week, when he insisted that House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) include a four-month extension of miners’ health benefits ― set to expire for almost 17,000 at the end of the month.

Casey, along with Sens. They received no response. On this occasion, though, they say supporting long-term benefits for retired miners is one of the best ways the incoming president and his party can directly support the industry.

The Kentucky Republican blames policies of President Barack Obama’s administration, which he feels have negatively impacted the coal industry, for the dire condition of the pension and health care plans.

Manchin insists that Democrats will settle for nothing less than a year-long extension of health-care benefits for those miners. Manchin has led opposition to the current funding measure.

But the bill has been met with resistance from Senate Republicans who are wary of bailing out unionized workers.

Sadly, all three of West Virginia’s congressional representatives – Congressman David McKinley, Congressman Alex Mooney and Congressman Evan Jenkins – voted for the short-term funding measure. It would also exclude “from taxable wages any payments made to, or on behalf of, an employee or his or her beneficiary under such a plan”.

“This is a reminder of what we can do when we look out for one another”, Obama said in a written statement that promised his signature. “I support Congressman McKinley’s Coal Healthcare and Pensions Protection Act”. Please see our terms of service for more information.

Dave Sutor is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat.