30 U.S.C. § 901 - Congressional findings and declaration of purpose; short title

• Cite as: 30 U.S.C. § 901

(a) Congress finds and declares that there are a significant number of coal miners living today who are totally disabled due to pneumoconiosis arising out of employment in one or more of the Nation's coal mines; that there are a number of survivors of coal miners whose deaths were due to this disease; and that few States provide benefits for death or disability due to this disease to coal miners or their surviving dependents. It is, therefore, the purpose of this subchapter to provide benefits, in cooperation with the States, to coal miners who are totally disabled due to pneumoconiosis and to the surviving dependents of miners whose death was due to such disease; and to ensure that in the future adequate benefits are provided to coal miners and their dependents in the event of their death or total disability due to pneumoconiosis.

(b) This subchapter may be cited as the "Black Lung Benefits Act".

Cite as 30 U.S.C. § 901

Source: Pub. L. 91-173, title IV, §401, Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 792; Pub. L. 92-303, §§3(a), 4(b)(2), May 19, 1972, 86 Stat. 153, 154; Pub. L. 95-239, §16, Mar. 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 105; Pub. L. 97-119, title II, §203(a)(4), Dec. 29, 1981, 95 Stat. 1644.

Notes from the Office of Law Revision Counsel

current through 5/4/2021

EDITORIAL NOTES

AMENDMENTS

1981-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97-119 struck out "or who were totally disabled by this disease at the time of their deaths" after "due to this disease" and "due to such disease".

1978- Pub. L. 95-239 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

1972- Pub. L. 92-303, §3(a), inserted "or who were totally disabled by this disease at the time of their deaths" after "disease" the first and third times it appeared and struck out "underground" before "coal mines".

STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1981 AMENDMENT

Pub. L. 97-119, title II, §206(a), Dec. 29, 1981, 95 Stat. 1645, provided that: "Except as otherwise provided, the provisions of this title [see Short Title of 1981 Amendment note set out under section 801 of this title] shall take effect on January 1, 1982."

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1978 AMENDMENT

Pub. L. 95-239, §20(a), Mar. 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 106, provided that: "The provisions of this Act [see Short Title of 1978 Amendment note set out under section 801 of this title] shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act [Mar. 1, 1978]."

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1972 AMENDMENT

Pub. L. 92-303, §3(c), May 19, 1972, 86 Stat. 153, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 902, 921, 932, and 933 of this title] shall be effective as of December 30, 1969."