WASHINGTON (AP) – Coal-state Democrats waged a fight for health benefits for thousands of retired miners, pointing to President Harry S. Truman’s promise 70 years ago guaranteeing a lifetime of coverage. The stopgap spending bill contains a short-term fix and the issue will be revisited next spring.
Here are some questions and answers about the dispute.
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Q. Why did Democrats stall the spending bill?
A. Democrats and some coal-state Republicans are pushing to protect health care for about 16,500 miners whose benefits are set to expire Jan. 1. Another 4,000 families face a loss of benefits by the end of 2017.