Russell County passes resolution supporting black lung benefit increases
Russell is the latest of more than two dozen local governments across multiple states to support miners with black lung
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 5, 2025
CONTACT
Dan Radmacher, Media Specialist, (276) 289-1018, dan@appvoices.org
LEBANON, Va. — Last night, Russell County supervisors passed a resolution urging U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith and U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner to support legislation increasing black lung benefits. Kaine and Warner have supported similar legislation, led by former Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, in past legislative sessions.
This comes on the heels of the Lee, Wise and Dickenson County boards passing similar resolutions in June and July, at the urging of Appalachian Voices and the National Black Lung Association, as well as local Black Lung Association chapters.
The Russell County supervisors passed the resolution unanimously after several members of the board spoke about their own experiences of black lung afflicting family members.
Appalachian Voices Community Outreach Coordinator Annie Jane Cotten has previously spoken before the Wise, Lee and Dickenson county supervisors, informing them of the importance of supporting the area’s workers and discussing how federal benefits paid to miners disabled by black lung have failed to keep pace with inflation.
“It’s important that the monthly disability benefit be able to better support a family, especially as more miners are falling ill with black lung younger than ever,” said Cotten. “County officials are powerful voices in elevating their residents’ concerns to the national level, and it’s great that they’ve been so receptive to the black lung associations’ resolution requests this summer. We are grateful to work with these county officials to pursue the necessary changes to benefit levels for our mining families.”
