so as to ensure the fair adjudication of such claims. (6) Past instances of systematic misclassification of chest radiographs that resulted in survivors being denied benefit claims under the Black Lung Benefits Act were not discovered until years after the misclassifications had begun. In such instances, survivors should be permitted to file a new claim for benefits under such Act. However, a survivor is effectively barred from filing a new claim one year after a decision regarding such benefits is final, constituting an injustice that merits a remedy. (7) Insufficient numbers of administrative law judges in the Department of Labor coupled with high numbers of cases filed under the Black Lung Benefits Act and disruptions in Federal Government functions caused by shutdowns have contributed to extensive delays in adjudicating claims under such Act and numerous other labor and employment laws. A 2017 report by the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General found that the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs took an average of almost a year to process a claim for benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act and that claims appealed to the Office of Administrative Law Judges took, on average, an additional 640 days to receive a decision. These delays directly and severely impact the lives of workers throughout the United States, placing an undue financial and emotional burden on the affected individuals and their families. (8) Contrary to the intent of Congress, benefits payments under the Black Lung Benefits Act do not automatically increase with the rising cost of living. Benefit payments are tied to the monthly pay rate for Federal employees in grade GS–2, step 1. In multiple fiscal years between 2010 and the enactment of this Act, there was a pay freeze for Federal employees, which had the effect of eliminating cost-of-living adjustments for miners, surviving spouses, and dependents under the Black Lung Benefits Act during such years. (9) A competent assessment of medical information and testimony,