County Commissioner Resolutions - February 2000�,_ _ ., ...�
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RESOLUTION N0. 2000- 2
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION�RS
OF GIBSON COUNTY, INDIANA
WHEREAS, Gibson Councy, Ind_ana is a coal-producing and
coal-consuming county that has benefitted tremendously from the
hard, dangerous work of rztired coal miners; and
WHEREAS, the United States government entered into a
contract with the coal miners in 1946 that created the United
Mine Wor:{ers o� Fu-nerican Healt� and R2��rem2:?� Funds; and
WHEREAS, this contract was signed in the White House in a
ceremony with President Harry Truman; and
S^IHEREAS, a federal cornmission established by U.S. Secretary
o= Labor Elizabe�h Dole concluded in 1990:
"Retired coal miners have legitimate expectations of health
care benefi�s for life; that was the promise they received
during their working lives and that is how they planned
their retirement yea*s. That commitmen� should be
honored."; and
SdH�REAS, this pro:nise became law in 1992 w':?en Cor?gress
passed, and Presid2n� George Bus� sie�ed, che Coal Indus�ry
Retiree Health Benefit Act (the Coal Act); and
W�tE�FAS� �R2 COd� _'-'�CL �21�EZdC2C L!?2 P'-"OTuS2 O' 11i2L1IR2
heaith benefits for re�ired coal miners and their dependents; and
WHEREAS, Congress inte�ded the Coal Act Lo:
"(1) remedy oroblems with the procision and funding o`
health care benefits with respect to the bezericiaries
of multiemployer benefit plans that provide health care
bene�its to retirees in the coal industry;
(2) allow for sufficient operating assets �or such
plans; and
(3) orovide for the continuation of a privately
financed self-sufficient program for the delivery of
health care benefits to the beneficiaries o� such
plans."; and
WHEREAS, certain cou_*t decisions have eroded the financial
structure that Congress put in place under the Coal Act; and
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WHEREAS, these cour� decisions have place the continued
provision of health bene�its to retired coal miners in jeopardy
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of County
Commissioners oi Gibson County, Indiana urge the Congress and the
Executive Branch of the United States work together to reform the
financial structure of the Coal Act to ensure that retired coal
miners continue to receive the health care benefits they were
promised and so rightly deserve; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a cooy of this resolution be
ser.t to the Governor o= �he State of Indiana, �ne President of
the United States and to each member of the Congressional
delegation representing �he peoolz o� �ne 5���� o° Ir.dia�a.
IN WITNESS WHEREO
Gibson County, Indiana
day of February, 2000.
At t: �
K / W. GREiJBEL
Gibson County Auditor
F the Board of County Commissioners of
has adop�ed t'�is Resolution this �
BOSRD OF COUNTY COM�IISSIONERS
OF GIBSO� COuv?�
C/ � �/�v"�lti.-�°
A�L . PERKINS, Presiden�
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