All those promises to help coal miners. So much for promises by Trump and the GOP.
From: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...rs-heath-benefits_us_5849db0ee4b0bd9c3dfbec52
With one day to go before the government shuts down, a handful of Senate Democrats marched outside the Capitol on Thursday night to demand Republicans include a one-year extension of health benefits for coal miners in the year-end spending bill.
Despite a year of campaign promises to fight for the “working man” and vows by Donald Trump to keep coal miners employed, the president-elect has yet to chime in on the battle raging in the Senate.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) didn’t mention Trump by name but scolded his colleagues for touting promises in election ads that they are for the middle and working class but then backing down when miners stand to lose health benefits by Dec. 31.
“‘We’re going to make sure that working men and women really get a fair shake; they’ve been screwed and left behind’ ― all of our advertising and campaigns say that,” Manchin said on the Senate floor before heading outside to join members of the United Mine Workers of America. “All I’m saying is now fulfill it. It’s either put up or shut up. You’ve asked them to vote for you because of this reason.”
Earlier Thursday, the House passed a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government open until April 28 before adjourning for the year. It would extend unionized miners’ health care benefits for the length of the bill.
Manchin and fellow coal-state senators have pressed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for nearly a year to pass legislation that would prevent the medical and pension benefits of retired coal miners from going insolvent.
Now they’re willing to wait on salvaging the retirement funds as long as health benefits are extended for one year rather than just four months. Republican leaders showed no signs of caving as the Senate wrapped up business for the day.
From: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...rs-heath-benefits_us_5849db0ee4b0bd9c3dfbec52
With one day to go before the government shuts down, a handful of Senate Democrats marched outside the Capitol on Thursday night to demand Republicans include a one-year extension of health benefits for coal miners in the year-end spending bill.
Despite a year of campaign promises to fight for the “working man” and vows by Donald Trump to keep coal miners employed, the president-elect has yet to chime in on the battle raging in the Senate.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) didn’t mention Trump by name but scolded his colleagues for touting promises in election ads that they are for the middle and working class but then backing down when miners stand to lose health benefits by Dec. 31.
“‘We’re going to make sure that working men and women really get a fair shake; they’ve been screwed and left behind’ ― all of our advertising and campaigns say that,” Manchin said on the Senate floor before heading outside to join members of the United Mine Workers of America. “All I’m saying is now fulfill it. It’s either put up or shut up. You’ve asked them to vote for you because of this reason.”
Earlier Thursday, the House passed a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government open until April 28 before adjourning for the year. It would extend unionized miners’ health care benefits for the length of the bill.
Manchin and fellow coal-state senators have pressed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for nearly a year to pass legislation that would prevent the medical and pension benefits of retired coal miners from going insolvent.
Now they’re willing to wait on salvaging the retirement funds as long as health benefits are extended for one year rather than just four months. Republican leaders showed no signs of caving as the Senate wrapped up business for the day.
