H.R. 4905

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4905 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4905

To establish the Energy Workers Compensation Fund to compensate energy 
workers for certain medical expenses.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

August 5, 2025

Mr. Vasquez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee 
on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To establish the Energy Workers Compensation Fund to compensate energy 
workers for certain medical expenses.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Energy Workers Health Improvement 
and Compensation Fund Act''.

SEC. 2. ENERGY WORKERS COMPENSATION FUND.

(a) Creation of Trust Fund.--There is established in the Treasury 
of the United States a trust fund to be known as the ``Energy Workers 
Health Compensation Fund''.
(b) Deposits.--
(1) In general.--Each oil company shall pay with respect to 
each calendar year (not later than March 31 of the calendar 
year immediately following such calendar year) an amount equal 
to the aggregate amounts paid as compensation (including the 
fair market value of any deferred compensation) to the 10 most 
highly paid (taking into account all compensation taken into 
account under this subsection) employees of such company during 
such calendar year. Such amounts shall be deposited into the 
Energy Workers Health Compensation Fund.
(2) Penalties for underpayments.--If the Secretary of Labor 
determines that the amount paid by any oil company with respect 
to any calendar year is less than 98 percent of the amount 
properly determined under paragraph (1), such oil company shall 
pay an additional amount equal to 10 percent of such 
difference. Such amount shall be deposited into the Energy 
Workers Health Compensation Fund.
(3) Elective contributions.--An oil company may contribute, 
in addition to any amount required to be paid under paragraph 
(1) or (2), an additional amount to the Energy Workers Health 
Compensation Fund not in excess of the amount required to be 
paid under paragraph (1).
(4) Tax treatment of contributions.--No deduction shall be 
allowed under section 162 (or any other provision) of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 for any amount required to be 
paid under paragraph (1) or (2) or any amount contributed to 
the Energy Workers Health Compensation Fund which is in excess 
of the amount permitted under paragraph (3).
(c) Expenditures.--Amounts in the compensation fund shall be 
available to the Secretary of Labor, without need of further 
appropriation, for the purposes of section 3.

SEC. 3. COMPENSATION FOR MEDICAL EXPENSES.

(a) In General.--An eligible worker, or family member thereof, 
shall be entitled to compensation in order to reimburse such eligible 
worker (or family member thereof) for medical expenses, including 
copayments and costs not covered by private insurance, Medicare, or 
Medicaid, associated with--
(1) asthma;
(2) heat-related illness; and
(3) other respiratory or cardiovascular diseases determined 
by the Secretary, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary 
of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, to be associated 
with methane emissions, high levels of smog, and exposure to 
particulate matter and volatile organic compounds.
(b) Payment From Trust Fund.--The compensation under this section 
shall be paid from the compensation fund established under section 2.
(c) Processing of Claims.--The Secretary shall provide the 
compensation to which an individual is entitled under subparagraph (a) 
in the order in which claims for compensation are received.

SEC. 4. IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES.

(a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and appoint all 
members of a commission on health outcomes of oil and gas workers.
(b) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The Commission shall be composed of 
members who represent diverse experiences and backgrounds that 
provide balanced points of view with regard to the duties of 
the Commission.
(2) Appointment.--The Secretary shall appoint the members 
to the Commission, including representatives--
(A) from--
(i) the Department of Health and Human 
Services;
(ii) the Department of Labor;
(iii) the National Institutes of Health, 
who shall be a doctor who does research into 
the subject matter of the Commission;
(iv) the Occupation Safety and Health 
Administration;
(v) an immigration advocacy group; and
(vi) a labor advocacy group; and
(B) who are eligible workers employed by oil 
companies, including one such representative from each 
of the following States:
(i) Alaska.
(ii) Colorado.
(iii) Louisiana.
(iv) New Mexico.
(v) North Dakota.
(vi) Texas.
(3) Periods of appointment.--Members shall be appointed for 
the duration of the Commission.
(4) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall be filled 
in the manner in which the original appointment was made and 
shall not affect the powers or duties of the Commission.
(5) Compensation.--Commission members shall serve without 
compensation.
(6) Travel expenses.--The Secretary shall consider the 
provision of travel expenses, including per diem, to Commission 
members when appropriate.
(c) Duties.--
(1) In general.--The Commission may hold such hearings, 
meet and act at times and places, take such testimony, and 
receive such evidence as the Commission considers to be 
advisable to carry out the duties of the Commission under this 
section.
(2) Recommendations for the department of labor.--
(A) In general.--The Commission shall develop 
recommendations to the Secretary on actions the Federal 
Government can take to study and improve health 
outcomes of oil and gas workers.
(B) Submission.--Not later than 18 months after the 
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall make 
publicly available and submit all recommendations 
developed under this paragraph to--
(i) the Secretary;
(ii) the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate;
(iii) the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate;
(iv) the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
of the House of Representatives; and
(v) the Committee on Natural Resources of 
the House of Representatives.
(C) Secretarial response.--Not later than 90 days 
after the date on which the Secretary receives the 
recommendations under paragraph (2), the Secretary 
shall make publicly available and submit a written 
response to the recommendations to--
(i) the Commission;
(ii) the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate;
(iii) the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate;
(iv) the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
of the House of Representatives; and
(v) the Committee on Natural Resources of 
the House of Representatives.

SEC. 5. REPORT TO COMMISSION.

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
annually thereafter, the Secretary of Labor shall report to the 
Commission established under section 4(a) on the compensation fund, 
including--
(1) deposits required under section 2(b); and
(2) compensation paid under section 3.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) Eligible worker.--The term ``eligible worker'' means 
any individual who--
(A) either--
(i) works or has worked within or around a 
oil and gas extraction or exploration site for 
not less than 1 year; or
(ii) lives or has lived within 20 miles of 
such a site for not less than 1 year; and
(B) works or has worked for an oil company engaged 
in oil and gas extraction or exploration or for a 
company contracted to perform those duties.
(2) Family member.--The term ``family member'' means the 
spouse, son, daughter, or parent of an eligible worker, if such 
spouse, son, daughter, or parent lives or has lived within 20 
miles of an oil and gas extraction or exploration site for not 
less than 1 year.
(3) Oil company.--The term ``oil company'' means a company 
engaged in oil or natural gas exploration or extraction with 
annual revenue greater than $50,000,000.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of Labor.
(5) Compensation fund.--The term ``compensation fund'' 
means the Energy Workers Health Compensation Fund established 
under section 2.
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