Comment on Coal-state Dems threaten gov't shutdown over aid for miners

Coal-state Dems threaten gov't shutdown over aid for miners

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hours to a government shutdown, coal-state Senate Democrats blocked swift action on a stopgap spending bill over benefits for retired miners and pressed President-elect Donald Trump, a self-proclaimed coal champion, to intervene with Republicans. [...] the bill stalled in the Senate as Democrats facing re-election in 2018, including West Virginia's Joe Manchin, Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, fought for a one-year extension for the miners' health benefits rather than the temporary, four-month fix in the bill. Manchin called the GOP proposal to temporarily extend health care benefits for about 16,500 retired union coal miners "horrendous" and "inhumane" and accused lawmakers of turning their backs on people who built the country and made it great. Democrats called on Trump to uphold a campaign promise to help coal miners by persuading Republican leaders to adopt a broader bill that would protect health care and pension benefits for the next decade. The House on Thursday cleared the government-funding bill and another bill authorizing hundreds of water projects, including measures to help Flint, Michigan, rid its water of poisonous lead, and one to allow more of California's limited water resources to flow to Central Valley farmers hurt by the state's lengthy drought. Sen.

 

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