A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to ensure that the deduction for contributions to a black lung benefit trust be allowed for any such contributions which are made for the purpose of satisfying unfunded future liability, and for other purposes.
Public Law 95-488 · H.R. 13167 · 95th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Oct 20, 1978 · Taxation
Sponsor: Rep. John Duncan (R-TN-2)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow an additional income tax deduction for contributions to a tax-exempt black lung disability trust for the funding of future liabilities incurred by an employer. Limits the amount of the deduction to an amount, determined according to sound actuarial methods, which is necessary to fund the remaining unfunded liability of the taxpayer for black lung claims filed (or expected to be filed) by past or present employees of the taxpayer, or an amount necessary to pay all black lung benefits for the current taxable year.
Requires that deductions for such estimated unfunded liability be taken over a funding period which is the greater of the average remaining working life of miners who are present employees of the taxpayer or ten taxable years. Disallows an income tax deduction taken as an ordinary and necessary business expense for direct payments outside the trust for black lung benefit liabilities.
Opens to public inspection the exemption application and tax returns of a black lung disability trust. Prohibits the disclosure of confidential business information of contributors to a black lung trust.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.
- Oct 20, 1978Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-488.
- Oct 14, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Oct 12, 1978PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Oct 10, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- Oct 3, 1978FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.
- Sep 29, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Ways and Means Committee
- Jun 16, 1978CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Ways and Means Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.