to coal dust during their employment. Yet, the determination of a claimant’s eligibility for these benefits often requires complex, adversarial litigation. Resource disparities between coal companies and such claimants are widespread within the statutory and regulatory framework. Comprehensive reforms are necessary to ensure that coal miners and their survivors can get access to the workers compensation benefits they are entitled to receive and are not at a disadvantage when filing claims for benefits. (2) The Government Accountability Office has found that many claimants under the Black Lung Benefits Act are not equipped with the medical and legal resources necessary to develop evidence to meet the requirements for benefits. Without better options for legal representation, significant numbers of such claimants proceed with their claims through a complex and potentially long administrative process without resources that Department of Labor officials and black lung disease experts note are important for developing evidence and supporting their claims. Only 42 percent of claimants are represented by an attorney during the initial claims determination. Absent efforts to remedy administrative problems and address structural weaknesses in the process for obtaining benefits, claimants with meritorious claims will not receive benefits. Reforms are necessary to help miners and their survivors access legal representation. (3) 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. Reforms are needed to ensure that benefits are not eroded due to inflation and are