March 30th, 2017 by WCBC Radio
Lawmakers representing coal-producing states are using every political device they can – including threatening to trigger a partial government shutdown to holding up a White House nominee – to prevent health care benefits for more than 22,000 retired miners from expiring at the end of April. Senator Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, has threatened to indefinitely delay President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. trade representative unless Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell brings the miners health care fix to a vote. Senate Democrats, including Manchin and Ohio’s Sherrod Brown, almost forced a government shutdown in December over the issue, until McConnell negotiated a four-month extension of the benefits. With the clock ticking on that extension, they haven’t ruled out doing it again…
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