Brown Secures Healthcare for Miners in Bill to Fund Government

Press Release

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) helped secure permanent healthcare security for Ohio coal miners in the government funding package agreed to late last night.

Without this deal, thousands of coal miners across the country would have lost their health care at the end of the week. Brown has been working on legislation for several years to give miners permanent healthcare without costing taxpayers a dime, and worked with his Republican and Democratic colleagues to include the permanent solution in the continuing resolution.

Brown vowed to continue fighting for a solution to secure miners' failing pensions. He secured a commitment from Republican Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), to work together on a bipartisan plan before the end of the year.

"Our miners sacrificed their backs and lungs to power our country and we are finally making good on the promise made decades ago that their healthcare would always be there for them," said Brown. "The miners are responsible for this victory, and it's been an honor to stand with them throughout this fight. But we've got more work to do to ensure that these miners have access to the pensions they've earned."

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