Miners Protection Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-179
Sponsor: Rep. McKinley, David B. [R-WV-1]
Introduced: 2017-01-03 in the House
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Asia
Bankruptcy
Coal
Customs enforcement
Employee benefits and pensions
Free trade and trade barriers
Government information and archives
Health care costs and insurance
Mining
Sales and excise taxes
South Korea
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Trade agreements and negotiations
User charges and fees

Summary:
action_date: 2017-01-03
text: 

Miners Protection Act of 2017

 
This bill amends the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) to transfer certain funds to the Multiemployer Health Benefit Plan and the 1974 United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Pension Plan to provide health and pension benefits to retired coal miners and their families. 
 
The bill expands the group whose retiree health benefits are taken into account in determining the amount that the Department of the Treasury must transfer from the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund and the General Fund of the Treasury to the Multiemployer Health Benefit Plan. 
 
A voluntary employees' beneficiary association (VEBA) established as a result of certain bankruptcy proceedings must transfer to the plan any amounts received as a result of the bankruptcy proceeding, reduced by the amount of the VEBA's administrative costs. Transfers by Treasury are reduced by the amount of the VEBA transfers. 
 
Treasury must also transfer additional funds to the 1974 UMWA Pension Plan to pay pension benefits required under that plan if the amounts available for transfer under SMCRA's $490 million annual limit exceed the amounts required to be transferred for other purposes (including to the UMWA Health Plans). 
 
The bill also: (1) prohibits the pension plan from making certain changes to benefits during any year in which a transfer is received, and (2) establishes additional reporting requirements for the plan.
 
The bill repeals requirements for current and former signatories to labor agreements with the UMWA to pay unassigned beneficiaries premiums or backstop premiums if transfers under SMCRA are less than the amount required to be transferred.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-02-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
action_date: 2017-01-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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.
action_date: 2017-01-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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.
action_date: 2017-01-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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.
action_date: 2017-01-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2017-01-03
text: Introduced in House