WHEELING, W.Va. — More than 5,000 miners and family members will march in Washington, D.C. today in an effort to prevent thousands of United Mine Workers of America members from losing their pensions and health care.
On Wednesday, Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., along with Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., urged passage of the Miners Protection Act and the Coal Healthcare and Pension Protection Act. They believe these measures will prevent 22,000 miners and family members from losing the benefits promised to them by their employers.
“This is not a bailout,” McKinley said. “There are going to be 120,000 people who are going to be hurting if this doesn’t pass.”
The 120,000 people to whom McKinley was referring are the current and future retirees that may be at risk of losing their pensions if Congress fails to act…
