Congressional Hearing: Oversight of the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund

• •The hearing was held on February 26, 2020, by the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
• •The hearing title, 'Asleep at the Switch,' reflects the subcommittee's focus on alleged failures in Department of Labor oversight of the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund.
• •Witnesses included representatives from the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs.
• •The subcommittee established a quorum to conduct official business.
• •Additional members from outside the subcommittee were permitted to participate in questioning after subcommittee members.
• •The hearing record includes prepared statements from the Chair, Ranking Member, and witnesses.
• •The record includes follow-up questions submitted for the record by Chairwoman Adams and responses from the GAO.

This hearing investigates the management of a federal fund that provides medical and disability benefits to coal miners suffering from black lung disease, directly impacting the financial stability and service delivery for affected miners.

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.