Relief for Survivors of Miners Act of 2025

S 3505, the Relief for Survivors of Miners Act of 2025, simplifies benefit claims for survivors of miners who died from black lung disease (pneumoconiosis). It creates new rebuttable presumptions making it easier to prove a miner's death was caused by the disease, and restores pre-1981 rules for survivors of miners who were totally disabled by the disease. The bill also establishes a program to cover legal fees and unreimbursed medical costs (up to $4,500 total per claim) for contested claims pending over a year. Additionally, it requires a Government Accountability Office report examining interim payments, benefit adequacy, and potential claim filing changes under the Black Lung Benefits Act. This legislation directly affects survivors of coal miners and their legal representatives handling benefit claims.