I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4905 
To establish the Energy Workers Compensation Fund to compensate energy 
workers for certain medical expenses. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 5, 2025 
Mr. VASQUEZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee 
on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish the Energy Workers Compensation Fund to 
compensate energy workers for certain medical expenses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Energy Workers 
Health Improvement and Compensation Fund Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ENERGY WORKERS COMPENSATION FUND. 
(a) CREATION OF TRUST FUND.—There is estab-
lished in the Treasury of the United States a trust fund 
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to be known as the ‘‘Energy Workers Health Compensa-
tion Fund’’. 
(b) DEPOSITS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Each oil company shall pay 
with respect to each calendar year (not later than 
March 31 of the calendar year immediately following 
such calendar year) an amount equal to the aggre-
gate amounts paid as compensation (including the 
fair market value of any deferred compensation) to 
the 10 most highly paid (taking into account all 
compensation taken into account under this sub-
section) employees of such company during such cal-
endar year. Such amounts shall be deposited into the 
Energy Workers Health Compensation Fund. 
(2) PENALTIES FOR UNDERPAYMENTS.—If the 
Secretary of Labor determines that the amount paid 
by any oil company with respect to any calendar 
year is less than 98 percent of the amount properly 
determined under paragraph (1), such oil company 
shall pay an additional amount equal to 10 percent 
of such difference. Such amount shall be deposited 
into the Energy Workers Health Compensation 
Fund. 
(3) ELECTIVE
CONTRIBUTIONS.—An oil com-
pany may contribute, in addition to any amount re-
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quired to be paid under paragraph (1) or (2), an ad-
ditional amount to the Energy Workers Health Com-
pensation Fund not in excess of the amount required 
to be paid under paragraph (1). 
(4) TAX TREATMENT OF CONTRIBUTIONS.—No 
deduction shall be allowed under section 162 (or any 
other provision) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 for any amount required to be paid under 
paragraph (1) or (2) or any amount contributed to 
the Energy Workers Health Compensation Fund 
which is in excess of the amount permitted under 
paragraph (3). 
(c) EXPENDITURES.—Amounts in the compensation 
fund shall be available to the Secretary of Labor, without 
need of further appropriation, for the purposes of section 
3. 
SEC. 3. COMPENSATION FOR MEDICAL EXPENSES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—An eligible worker, or family 
member thereof, shall be entitled to compensation in order 
to reimburse such eligible worker (or family member there-
of) for medical expenses, including copayments and costs 
not covered by private insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid, 
associated with— 
(1) asthma; 
(2) heat-related illness; and 
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(3) other respiratory or cardiovascular diseases 
determined by the Secretary, in consultation with 
the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational 
Safety and Health, to be associated with methane 
emissions, high levels of smog, and exposure to par-
ticulate matter and volatile organic compounds. 
(b) PAYMENT FROM TRUST FUND.—The compensa-
tion under this section shall be paid from the compensa-
tion fund established under section 2. 
(c) PROCESSING OF CLAIMS.—The Secretary shall 
provide the compensation to which an individual is entitled 
under subparagraph (a) in the order in which claims for 
compensation are received. 
SEC. 4. IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall es-
tablish and appoint all members of a commission on health 
outcomes of oil and gas workers. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Commission shall be 
composed of members who represent diverse experi-
ences and backgrounds that provide balanced points 
of view with regard to the duties of the Commission. 
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(2) APPOINTMENT.—The Secretary shall ap-
point the members to the Commission, including 
representatives— 
(A) from— 
(i) the Department of Health and 
Human Services; 
(ii) the Department of Labor; 
(iii) the National Institutes of Health, 
who shall be a doctor who does research 
into the subject matter of the Commission; 
(iv) the Occupation Safety and Health 
Administration; 
(v) an immigration advocacy group; 
and 
(vi) a labor advocacy group; and 
(B) who are eligible workers employed by 
oil companies, including one such representative 
from each of the following States: 
(i) Alaska. 
(ii) Colorado. 
(iii) Louisiana. 
(iv) New Mexico. 
(v) North Dakota. 
(vi) Texas. 
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(3) PERIODS
OF
APPOINTMENT.—Members 
shall be appointed for the duration of the Commis-
sion. 
(4) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission 
shall be filled in the manner in which the original 
appointment was made and shall not affect the pow-
ers or duties of the Commission. 
(5) 
COMPENSATION.—Commission 
members 
shall serve without compensation. 
(6) TRAVEL
EXPENSES.—The Secretary shall 
consider the provision of travel expenses, including 
per diem, to Commission members when appro-
priate. 
(c) DUTIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may hold 
such hearings, meet and act at times and places, 
take such testimony, and receive such evidence as 
the Commission considers to be advisable to carry 
out the duties of the Commission under this section. 
(2) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT 
OF LABOR.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall 
develop recommendations to the Secretary on 
actions the Federal Government can take to 
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study and improve health outcomes of oil and 
gas workers. 
(B) SUBMISSION.—Not later than 18 
months after the enactment of this Act, the 
Commission shall make publicly available and 
submit all recommendations developed under 
this paragraph to— 
(i) the Secretary; 
(ii) the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the Senate; 
(iii) the Committee on Health, Edu-
cation, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; 
(iv) the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce of the House of Representa-
tives; and 
(v) the Committee on Natural Re-
sources of the House of Representatives. 
(C) SECRETARIAL
RESPONSE.—Not later 
than 90 days after the date on which the Sec-
retary receives the recommendations under 
paragraph (2), the Secretary shall make pub-
licly available and submit a written response to 
the recommendations to— 
(i) the Commission; 
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(ii) the Committee on Energy and 
Natural Resources of the Senate; 
(iii) the Committee on Health, Edu-
cation, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; 
(iv) the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce of the House of Representa-
tives; and 
(v) the Committee on Natural Re-
sources of the House of Representatives. 
SEC. 5. REPORT TO COMMISSION. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of 
Labor shall report to the Commission established under 
section 4(a) on the compensation fund, including— 
(1) deposits required under section 2(b); and 
(2) compensation paid under section 3. 
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ELIGIBLE
WORKER.—The term ‘‘eligible 
worker’’ means any individual who— 
(A) either— 
(i) works or has worked within or 
around a oil and gas extraction or explo-
ration site for not less than 1 year; or 
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(ii) lives or has lived within 20 miles 
of such a site for not less than 1 year; and 
(B) works or has worked for an oil com-
pany engaged in oil and gas extraction or explo-
ration or for a company contracted to perform 
those duties. 
(2) FAMILY MEMBER.—The term ‘‘family mem-
ber’’ means the spouse, son, daughter, or parent of 
an eligible worker, if such spouse, son, daughter, or 
parent lives or has lived within 20 miles of an oil 
and gas extraction or exploration site for not less 
than 1 year. 
(3) OIL COMPANY.—The term ‘‘oil company’’ 
means a company engaged in oil or natural gas ex-
ploration or extraction with annual revenue greater 
than $50,000,000. 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Labor. 
(5) COMPENSATION
FUND.—The term ‘‘com-
pensation fund’’ means the Energy Workers Health 
Compensation Fund established under section 2. 
Æ 
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