The Support Our Miners Act would amend the Black Lung Benefits Act to increase monthly benefits for miners disabled by black lung disease. For 2026, it would set benefits at an annualized rate of $15,030, paid monthly after enactment, and then tie future benefit levels to inflation using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. The bill primarily affects coal miners receiving black lung benefits and, by extension, the families who rely on those payments for healthcare and living expenses.
What This Bill Does
- Raises black lung benefit payments to an annualized $15,030 for calendar year 2026 after enactment.
- Creates a yearly inflation adjustment starting in 2027 using the CPI-U.
- Amends section 412(a) of the Black Lung Benefits Act, 30 U.S.C. 922(a)(1).
- Applies to miners eligible for benefits during disability under the Black Lung Benefits Act.
Who This Bill Affects
If you are a coal miner receiving black lung benefits, or a family member depending on those payments, this bill would be directly beneficial. It would raise the benefit level to an annualized $15,030 in 2026 after enactment and then adjust future payments upward with inflation, which could increase monthly income and help cover healthcare and living expenses. For most other people, the bill would not change day-to-day finances or eligibility, though it could modestly increase federal spending.
See how this bill affects you — sign in for a personalized analysisWho Supports & Opposes This
- Coal miners with black lung disease They would receive higher monthly support that better reflects current living costs and medical needs. The bill directly responds to the fact that existing benefits have lagged inflation for decades.
- Families of disabled miners Household income from black lung benefits would be more reliable and more adequate, helping cover rent, food, and healthcare. For families relying on a miner’s benefit as a main source of support, the increase could ease financial strain.
- Labor and mineworker advocates They would view the bill as a long-overdue update to a benefit that has eroded in real value since 1969. Indexing the payment to CPI-U would prevent future benefit erosion.
- Federal budget watchdogs They could argue that raising and indexing benefits increases mandatory federal spending and creates a continuing cost commitment. Even a targeted increase can add up over time if annual payments rise with inflation.
- Coal industry employers and insurers They may worry the bill signals a broader expansion of liability or federal obligations tied to coal mining health claims. Higher benefit levels can also intensify pressure on industry-related insurance systems.
- Taxpayers concerned about entitlement growth They may support miners but still object to expanding a federal benefit without an offsetting funding source. Their concern would be less about eligibility and more about the ongoing fiscal impact.
Key Implications
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““For calendar year 2026... at a monthly pay rate equal to... $15,030... divided by 12.””
This sets a specific payment level for benefits paid after enactment in 2026, giving affected miners a clear dollar increase instead of an unspecified adjustment.
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““For calendar year 2027 and each succeeding calendar year... the greater of one or the ratio of” CPI-U”
This ties future benefits to inflation, which means payments should generally rise when consumer prices rise and should not remain fixed in nominal dollars.
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““miners and their families rely on black lung benefits... to pay for their healthcare and... monthly compensation””
The bill is designed around a practical need: many recipients use these payments for everyday expenses, not as a bonus or one-time award.
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““Section 412(a) of the Black Lung Benefits Act... is amended””
The change is made in the core federal black lung benefits statute, so it would alter the permanent benefit formula rather than create a temporary pilot program.
Official Source & Bill Facts
BillBoard checks this page against public Congress.gov metadata, then adds plain-English analysis where available.
- Bill
- HR 9556
- Congress
- 119th Congress
- Official title
- Support Our Miners Act
- Policy area
- Healthcare
- Latest action
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. (June 30, 2026)
- Last updated
- July 1, 2026
Latest Status
June 30, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
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Ask AI about this billData sourced from api.congress.gov.