Brown Lung Benefits Act

Summary

Brown Lung Benefits Act - Provides benefits for sufferers from byssinosis. Defines the term "byssinosis" to mean a chronic dust disease of the lung arising out of employment in a textile plant. Provides that the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the regulations promulgated by him under this Act, make payments of benefits with respect to the total disability of any textile worker due to byssinosis, and to the death of any such worker whose death was due to byssinosis. Asserts that the Secretary shall, by regulation, prescribe standards for determining whether a textile worker is totally disabled due to byssinosis and for determining whether the death of a textile worker was due to byssinosis. Provides that such regulations shall be promulgated and published in the Federal Register at the earliest practicable date after the date of enactment of this Act, and in no event later than the end of the third month following the month in which the Act is enacted. Provides that such regulations may be modified or additional regulations promulgated from time to time thereafter. Provides that benefit payments shall be made by the Secretary as follows: (1) in the case of total disability of a textile worker due to byssinosis, the disabled worker shall be paid benefits during the disability at a rate equal to 50 percent of the minimum monthly payment to which a Federal employee in grade GS-2, who is totally disabled is entitled; (2) in the case of death of a textile worker due to byssinosis or of a textile worker receiving benefits under this Act, benefits shall be paid to his widow (if any) at the rate the deceased worker would receive such benefits if he were totally disabled; and (3) in the case of an individual entitled to benefit payments who has one or more dependents, the benefit payments shall be increased at the rate of 50 percent of such benefit payments, if such individual has one dependent, 75 percent if such individual has two dependents, and 100 percent if such individual has three or more dependents. States that nothing in this Act shall relieve any operator of a textile plant of the duty to comply with any State workmen's compensation law, except insofar as such State law is in conflict with the provisions of this Act and the Secretary, by regulation, so prescribes. Provides that the provisions of any State workmen's compensation law which provides greater benefits than the benefits payable under this Act shall not thereby be construed or held to be in conflict with the provisions of this Act. Authorizes the Secretary to issue such regulations as he deems appropriate to carry out the provisions of this Act. Provides that, within one hundred and twenty days following the convening of each session of Congress, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress an annual report upon the subject matter of this Act.

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1 official file

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 21 May 1974

  Open at official source

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