§ 9501. Black Lung Disability Trust Fund
(a)
Creation of Trust Fund
(b)
Transfer of certain taxes; other receipts
(1)
Transfer to Black Lung Disability Trust Fund of amounts equivalent to certain taxes
There are herby appropriated to the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund amounts equivalent to the taxes received in the Treasury under section
4121 or subchapter B of chapter 42.
(2)
Certain repaid amounts, etc.
The following amounts shall be credited to the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund:
(A)
Amounts repaid or recovered under subsection (b) of section
424 of the Black Lung Benefits Act (including interest thereon).
(c)
Repayable advances
(1)
Authorization
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, as repayable advances, such sums as may from time to time be necessary to make the expenditures described in subsection (d).
(2)
Repayment with interest
Repayable advances made to the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund shall be repaid, and interest on such advances shall be paid, to the general fund of the Treasury when the Secretary of the Treasury determines that moneys are available in the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund for such purposes.
(3)
Rate of interest
Interest on advances made pursuant to this subsection shall be at a rate determined by the Secretary of the Treasury (as of the close of the calendar month preceding the month in which the advance is made) to be equal to the current average market yield on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States with remaining periods to maturity comparable to the anticipated period during which the advance will be outstanding.
(d)
Expenditures from Trust Fund
Amounts in the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund shall be available, as provided by appropriation Acts, for—
(1)
the payment of benefits under section 422 of the Black Lung Benefits Act in any case in which the Secretary of Labor determines that—
(A)
the operator liable for the payment of such benefits—
(i)
has no commenced payment of such benefits within 30 days after the date of an initial determination of eligibility by the Secretary of Labor, or
except that, in the case of a claim filed on or after the date of the enactment of the Black Lung Benefits Revenue Act of 1981, amounts will be available under this subparagraph only for benefits accruing after the date of such initial determination, or
(2)
the payment of obligations incurred by the Secretary of Labor with respect to all claims of miners of their survivors in which the miner’s last coal mine employment was before January 1, 1970,
(3)
the repayment into the Treasury of the United States of an amount equal to the sum of the amounts expended by the Secretary of Labor for claims under part C of the Black Lung Benefits Act which were paid before April 1, 1978, except that the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund shall not be obligated to pay or reimburse any such amounts which are attributable to periods of eligibility before January 1, 1974,
(4)
the repayment of, and the payment of interest on, repayable advances to the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund,
(5)
the payment of all expenses of administration on or after March 1, 1978—
(6)
the reimbursement of operators for amounts paid by such operators (other than as penalties or interest) before April 1, 1978, in satisfaction (in whole or in part) of claims of miners whose last employment in coal mines was terminated before January 1, 1970, and
(7)
the reimbursement of operators and insurers for amounts paid by such operators and insurers (other than amounts paid as penalties, interest, or attorney fees) at any time in satisfaction (in whole or in part) of any claim denied (within the meaning of section 402(i) of the Black Lung Benefits Act) before March 1, 1978, and which is or has been approved in accordance with the provisions of section 435 [1] of the Black Lung Benefits Act.
For purposes of the preceding sentence, any reference to section 402(i), 422, or 435 [1] of the Black Lung Benefits Act shall be treated as a reference to such section as in effect immediately after the enactment of this section.
[1] See References in Text note below.