,,ii  #aag? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #geg  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #af1 #bjba,mr4    
,w>n] introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0    
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,heal?1 ,education1 ,labor1 & ,p5sions  
,a ,,bill  ,to am5d ! ,black ,lung      
,b5efits ,act to ease ! b5efits process 
= survivors ( m9]s ^: dea?s 7 due to    
pneumoconiosis4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is   
,act may be cit$ z ! ,relief =          
,survivors ( ,m9]s ,act ( #bjba4  #b4   
,am5dm5ts to ! b5efits process =        
survivors ( m9]s ^: dea?s 7 due to      
pneumoconiosis  7a7 ,rebuttable         
presumptions = a dea? due to            
pneumoconiosis  7#a7 ,rebuttable        
presumption = a deceas$ m9] employ$ = n 
less ?an #aj ye>s 9 a coal m9e ,section 
#daa7;c77#b7 ( ! ,black ,lung ,b5efits  
,act 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #iba7;c77#b77 is    
am5d$ by /rik+ ! second s5t5ce4  7#b7   
,rebuttable presumption = a disability  
due to pneumoconiosis ,section #daa7;c7 
( ! ,black ,lung ,b5efits ,act 7#cj     

,u4,s4,c4 #iba7;c77 is am5d$ by add+ at 
! end ! foll[+3  7#f7 ,if a deceas$ m9] 
0 totally disabl$ due to pneumoconiosis 
dur+ ! life ( su* m9]1 !re %all be a    
rebuttable presumption t ! dea? ( su*   
m9] 0 a dea? due to pneumoconiosis4 ,!  
presumption "u ?is p>agraph may be      
rebutt$ only by e/abli%+ t no "p ( !    
dea? ( su* m9] 0 caus$ by               
pneumoconiosis4  4  7#c7 ,effective     
,date ,! am5dm5ts made by p>agraphs 7#a7
 & 7#b7 %all apply ) respect to claims  
fil$ "u "p ,b or "p ,c ( ! ,black ,lung 
,b5efits ,act 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #iba et    
seq41 #ica et seq47 aft] ,janu>y #a1    
#bjaf1 t are p5d+ on or aft] ! date (   
enactm5t ( ?is ,act4  7b7 ,attorneys'   
fees & m$ical exp5ses paym5t program ,"p
 ,a ( ! ,black ,lung ,b5efits ,act 7#cj 
,u4,s4,c4 #ija et seq47 is am5d$ by add+
 at ! end ! foll[+3  #djc4 ,attorneys'  
fees & m$ical exp5ses paym5t program    
7a7 ,program e/abli%$  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n 
lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date (        
enactm5t ( ! ,relief = ,survivors (     

,m9]s ,act ( #bjba1 ! ,secret>y %all    
e/abli% a paym5t program to pay         
attorneys' fees & o!r reasonable &      
unreimburs$ m$ical exp5ses incurr$ 9    
e/abli%+ ! claimant's case1 us+ am\nts f
 ! fund1 to ! attorneys ( claimants 9   
qualify+ claims4  7#b7 ,qualify+ claim  
,a qualify+ claim = purposes ( ?is      
section is a conte/$ claim = b5efits "u 
?is title = :i* a f9al ord] has n be5   
ent]$ )9 "o ye> ( ! fil+ ( ! claim4     
7#c7 ,use ( paym5ts f ! fund ,not)/&+   
any o!r provision ( law1 am\nts 9 ! fund
 %all be available = paym5ts au?oriz$ by
 ! ,secret>y "u ?is section4  7b7       
,paym5ts au?oriz$  7#a7 ,attorneys' fees
  7,a7 ,approval ,if a claimant =       
b5efits "u ?is title obta9s a propos$   
decision & ord] f a di/rict director )  
an aw>d ( b5efits = a qualify+ claim1 or
 an aw>d = a qualify+ claim be=e an     
adm9i/rative law judge-- 7i7 ! di/rict  
director may approve attorneys' fees =  
"w done be=e su* director 9 an am\nt n  
to exce$ #a1ejj2 &  7ii7 an adm9i/rative

 law judge may approve attorneys' fees =
 "w done be=e su* judge 9 an am\nt n to 
exce$ #c1jjj4  7,b7 ,paym5t ,! ,secret>y
 %all1 ?r\gh ! program "u ?is section1  
pay any am\nts approv$ "u subp>agraph   
7,a74  7#b7 ,m$ical exp5ses  7,a7       
,approval ,if a claimant = b5efits "u   
?is title obta9s a propos$ decision &   
ord] f a di/rict director ) an aw>d (   
b5efits = a qualify+ claim1 or an aw>d =
 a qualify+ claim be=e an adm9i/rative  
law judge1 su* di/rict director &       
adm9i/rative law judge may ea* approve  
an aw>d1 9 an am\nt n to exce$ #a1ejj1  
to ! claimant's attorney ( reasonable & 
unreimburs$ m$ical exp5ses incurr$ 9    
e/abli%+ ! claimant's case4  7,b7       
,paym5t ,! ,secret>y %all1 ?r\gh !      
program "u ?is section1 pay any am\nts  
approv$ "u subp>agraph 7,a74  7#c7      
,maximum ,! ,secret>y1 ?r\gh ! program  
e/abli%$ "u ?is section1 %all = any s+le
 qualify+ claim pay-- 7,a7 n m ?an a    
total ( #d1ejj 9 attorneys' fees2 &     
7,b7 n m ?an #c1jjj 9 m$ical exp5ses4   

7c7 ,reimbursem5t ( funds ,9 any case 9 
:i* a qualify+ claim results 9 a f9al   
ord] aw>d+ comp5sation1 ! liable op]ator
 %all reimburse ! fund = any fees or    
exp5ses paid "u ?is section1 subject to 
en=cem5t by ! ,secret>y "u section #dbd 
& 9 ! same mann] z comp5sation ord]s are
 en=c$ "u section #ba7;d7 ( ! ,long%ore 
& ,h>bor ,work]s' ,comp5sation ,act 7#cc
 ,u4,s4,c4 #iba7;d774  7d7 ,additional  
program rules ,no?+ 9 ?is section %all  
limit or o!rwise affect an op]ator's    
liability = any attorneys' fees or      
m$ical exp5ses aw>d$ by ! di/rict       
director or an adm9i/rative law judge t 
7 n paid by ! program "u ?is section4   
,no?+ 9 ?is section %all limit or       
o!rwise affect ! ,secret>y's au?ority to
 use am\nts 9 ! fund to pay approv$     
attorneys' fees 9 claims = b5efits "u   
?is title = :i* a f9al ord] aw>d+       
comp5sation has be5 ent]$ & ! op]ator is
 unable to pay4  7e7 ,no rec\pm5t (     
attorneys' fees ,any paym5t = attorneys'
 fees or m$ical exp5ses made by !       

,secret>y "u ?is section %all n be      
rec\p$ f ! claimant or ! claimant's     
attorney4  4  #c4 ,reports by !         
,gov]nm5t ,acc\ntability ,(fice ,n lat] 
?an #a ye> aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is 
,act1 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$   
,/ates %all-- 7#a7 c>ry out a review (  
int]im b5efit paym5ts "u ! ,black ,lung 
,b5efits ,act 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #ija et    
seq47 = m9]s & survivors :o h submitt$ a
 claim = b5efits "u su* ,act & are wait+
 = a f9al det]m9ation1 includ+-- 7,a7 an
 exam9ation ( ! f9ancial impact on      
b5efici>ies ( su* paym5ts 9 ! case !    
claims ( su* b5efici>ies are d5i$ & !   
paym5ts are rec\p$2  7,b7 a /udy ( !    
impact t ! /ress caus$ by su* rec\pm5t1 
or ! ?reat ( su* rec\pm5t1 has on       
b5efici>ies ( su* paym5ts2 &  7,c7 a    
/udy ( ! f9ancial impact on ! ,f$]al    
,gov]nm5t & taxpay]s ( ! process =      
rec\p+ su* int]im b5efit paym5ts 9 !    
case ( claims t are d5i$2  7#b7 c>ry out
 a review ( b5efit paym5ts = m9]s &     
survivors "u ! ,black ,lung ,b5efits    

,act 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #ija et seq471      
includ+-- 7,a7 an exam9ation ( :e!r su* 
paym5ts are suffici5t to meet ! exp5ses 
( su* m9]s & survivors2  7,b7 an        
exam9ation ( ! economic impact ( a      
possible increase 9 ! am\nt ( b5efit    
paym5ts = su* m9]s & survivors2 &  7,c7 
bas$ on su* exam9ation1 recomm5dations  
on ! am\nt ( b5efit paym5ts t su* m9]s &
 survivors %\ld receive f ! ,black ,lung
 ,disability ,tru/ ,fund2  7#c7 c>ry out
 a review t exam9es ! impact ( a        
possible *ange to regulations ( !       
,secret>y ( ,labor to p]mit a survivor (
 a m9] to1 aft] a f9al det]m9ation (    
b5efits "u ! ,black ,lung ,b5efits ,act 
7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #ija et seq47 is made )  
respect to su* survivor1 file a         
subsequ5t claim = b5efits "u su* ,act2 &
  7#d7 submit to ,congress reports on ! 
results ( ! reviews "u p>agraphs 7#a71  
7#b71 & 7#c74