SEC. 108. DISCLOSURE OF EMPLOYMENT AND EARNINGS IN-
FORMATION FOR BLACK LUNG BENEFITS 
CLAIMS. 
(a) TAX RETURN INFORMATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 6103(l) of the Inter-
nal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at 
the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(23) DISCLOSURE OF RETURN INFORMATION TO 
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TO CARRY OUT BLACK LUNG 
BENEFITS ACT.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commissioner of 
Social Security shall, on written request with re-
spect to any individual, disclose to officers or 
employees of the Department of Labor return in-
formation from returns with respect to net earn-
ings from self-employment (as defined in section 
1402) and wages (as defined in section 3121(a) 
or 3401(a)) for employment for each employer of 
such individual. 
‘‘(B) RESTRICTION
ON
DISCLOSURE.—The 
Commissioner of Social Security shall disclose 
return information under subparagraph (A) only 
for purposes of, and the extent necessary in, car-
rying out the proper administration of the Black 
Lung Benefits Act (30 U.S.C. 901 et seq.).’’. 
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(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS.—Section 
6103(p)(4) of such Code is amended— 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A), by striking ‘‘or (22)’’ and inserting ‘‘(22), 
or (23)’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (F)(ii), by striking 
‘‘or (22),’’ and inserting ‘‘(22), or (23)’’. 
(b) SOCIAL SECURITY EARNINGS INFORMATION.—Not-
withstanding section 552a of title 5, United States Code, 
or any other provision of Federal or State law, the Commis-
sioner of Social Security shall make available to the officers 
and employees of the Department of Labor, upon written 
request, the Social Security earnings information of living 
or deceased individuals who are the subject of a claim under 
the Black Lung Benefits Act (30 U.S.C. 901 et seq.), which 
the Secretary of Labor may require to carry out such Act. 
Such information shall be made available in electronic 
form. 
PART B—REPORTS TO IMPROVE THE ADMINIS-
TRATION OF BENEFITS UNDER THE BLACK 
LUNG BENEFITS ACT 
SEC. 121. STRATEGY TO REDUCE DELAYS IN ADJUDICA-
TION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall 
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submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Sen-
ate and the Committee on Education and Labor and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representa-
tives a comprehensive strategy to reduce the backlog of cases 
pending on such date of enactment before the Office of Ad-
ministrative Law Judges of the Department of Labor. 
(b) CONTENTS OF STRATEGY.—The strategy under this 
section shall provide information relating to— 
(1) the current and targeted pendency for each 
category of cases before the Office of Administrative 
Law Judges of the Department of Labor; 
(2) the number of administrative law judges, at-
torney advisors supporting such judges, support staff, 
and other resources necessary to achieve and main-
tain the targeted pendency for each category of such 
cases; 
(3) the necessary resources to improve efficiency 
and effectiveness, such as equipment for video con-
ferences, training, use of reemployed annuitants, and 
administrative reforms; and 
(4) with respect to claims filed under the Black 
Lung Benefits Act (30 U.S.C. 901 et seq.), the nec-
essary resources needed to reduce the average pend-
ency of cases to less than 12 months from the date of 
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receipt of the case to the date of disposition of such 
case. 
PART C—IMPROVEMENT IN THE FINANCIAL SE-
CURITY OF THE BLACK LUNG BENEFITS DIS-
ABILITY TRUST FUND 
SEC. 131. POLICIES FOR SECURING THE PAYMENT OF BENE-
FITS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish 
an interim final rule setting forth the requirements for an 
operator of a coal mine to qualify as a self-insurer with 
respect any portion of the operator’s liabilities under the 
Black Lung Benefits Act, as described in section 423(a)(1) 
of such Act (30 U.S.C. 933(a)(1)). Such rule shall— 
(1) establish criteria, relating to the financial 
health of the operator (including creditworthiness, 
long-term enterprise viability, and other liabilities), 
on which the eligibility of the operator to seek and 
maintain qualification as a self-insurer shall be deter-
mined; 
(2) establish procedures to determine on an an-
nual basis (or more frequently, where deemed nec-
essary by the Secretary) the minimum amount of se-
curity sufficient to insure current and projected li-
abilities; and 
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(3) establish procedures for review by the Sec-
retary of operator appeals of determinations described 
in paragraphs (1) and (2). 
The Secretary shall promulgate a final rule not later than 
12 months after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(b) PENALTIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 423(d)(1) of the Black 
Lung Benefits Act (30 U.S.C. 933(d)(1)) is amend-
ed— 
(A) by striking ‘‘$1,000’’ and inserting 
‘‘$25,000’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘chief executive officer, 
chief operating officer,’’ after the word ‘‘presi-
dent,’’ each place it appears; 
(C) by striking ‘‘and treasurer’’ each place 
it appears and inserting ‘‘treasurer, and other 
responsible party’’; 
(D) by striking ‘‘for any benefit’’ and all 
that follows through ‘‘this section.’’ and inserting 
‘‘for— 
‘‘(A) any benefit which may accrue under this 
title in respect to any disability which may occur to 
any employee of such corporation while it shall so fail 
to secure the payment of benefits as required by this 
section; or 
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