Area senators urging support of Miners Protection Act

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – With less than a month until miners’ benefits disappear, senators from our area are urging their colleagues to support the Miners Protection Act.

We first told you about this lapse in benefits in the fall.

More than 20,000 miners are at risk of losing their health care coverage.

In December, Congress was able to preserve their benefits for another four months but that time is coming up.

Now Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito is asking for Congress to come up with a permanent fix to protect these retired miners.

"They were promised these benefits, Capito said. “They worked hard for it, and I think that it is just and right for us to pass a permanent fix, and I think we can do it by the end of April. I know we're on a deadline, but I want to go for the permanent fix. I don’t want another Band-Aid fix here."

Capito said she is working with Senators Joe Manchin, Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown.

She said miners shouldn't have to receive another cancellation notice for the benefits they worked for years to receive.