To ensure that claims for benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act are processed in a fair and timely manner, to better protect miners from pneumoconiosis (commonly known as "black lung disease"), and for other purposes.

119th Congress Introduced by André Carson and 4 co-sponsors

HR 6756 reforms Black Lung Benefits Act claims processing to boost fairness and speed, protecting miners from pneumoconiosis with quicker benefit determinations.

Introduced in House

Overview

Bill Number: HR 6756

Title: To ensure that claims for benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act are processed in a fair and timely manner, to better protect miners from pneumoconiosis (commonly known as "black lung disease"), and for other purposes.

Status: Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives

Introduced Date: December 16, 2025

Classification: Bill (legislation)

Purpose and Intent

The primary aim is to reform the processing of claims for benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act.

The bill emphasizes two core goals:

Fairness: Improve the fairness of how benefits claims are adjudicated.
Timeliness: Ensure that claims are processed more quickly and efficiently than current practice.

The title indicates a broader objective of better protecting miners from pneumoconiosis (black lung disease) through improved program administration.

Key Provisions (as inferred from the bill’s title)

While the full text is not provided here, the bill is framed to:

Reform claims processing under the Black Lung Benefits Act.
Enhance protections for miners against occupational lung disease, specifically pneumoconiosis.
Potentially address administrative procedures, oversight, appeals, and/or funding mechanisms to support timely determinations.

The designation “and for other purposes” suggests additional related provisions could be added to strengthen program integrity, oversight, or support for beneficiaries, though specifics would require review of the full text.

Who/What Would Be Affected

Directly Affected: Claimants seeking Black Lung Benefits Act benefits (miners and eligible dependents).

Program Administration: Agencies and offices responsible for processing and adjudicating black lung claims (e.g., agencies within the Department of Labor that administer the Black Lung Benefits Act, and related workforce/ways and means committees).

Stakeholders: Employers in mining industries, medical providers, and advocacy groups for miners, who have an interest in claim adjudication timelines and fairness.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Referral: On the same day as introduction, the bill was referred to:

Committee on Education and the Workforce
Committee on Ways and Means
With instructions to consider provisions within each committee’s jurisdiction

The specific timeline, hearing dates, or markups will depend on subsequent committee action and Speaker decisions.

Additional Notes

The bill’s text would provide the concrete changes, such as any new standards, funding, data reporting requirements, or enforcement mechanisms. Readers interested in the practical impact should review the bill’s full language upon its release.

If you’d like, I can create a follow-up summary once the full text is available, including detailed provisions, expected costs, and compliance implications.

Bill