The "Relief for Survivors of Miners Act of 2025" aims to streamline the benefits process for survivors of miners whose deaths were caused by pneumoconiosis. It significantly strengthens the rebuttable presumptions that a miner's death was due to black lung disease. For instance, if a miner worked for at least 10 years in a coal mine, the presumption of death due to pneumoconiosis can now only be rebutted by proving no part of the death was caused by the disease. A new presumption is also added for miners who were totally disabled by pneumoconiosis during their lifetime, establishing that their death was due to the disease unless proven otherwise. These changes apply to claims filed up to five years before the act's enactment or those pending on or after that date.

The bill also restores certain pre-1981 provisions of the Black Lung Benefits Act, broadening eligibility for survivors. Specifically, it clarifies that benefits extend to survivors of miners who were totally disabled by pneumoconiosis at the time of their deaths. This aims to ensure more survivors can access the benefits they are due. Furthermore, the legislation establishes a new program to cover attorneys' fees and medical expenses for claimants in contested cases. This program will pay approved fees and expenses from the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, up to specified maximums, for claims that remain unresolved for over a year.

Under the new payment program, district directors and administrative law judges can approve attorneys' fees and medical expenses incurred in establishing a claimant's case. The Secretary of Labor will then pay these approved amounts, with liable operators required to reimburse the fund if a final award is granted. Importantly, these payments cannot be recouped from the claimant or their attorney. Finally, the bill mandates the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct several reviews, including the financial impact of interim benefit recoupment, the sufficiency of current benefit payments, and the feasibility of allowing survivors to file subsequent claims.