#the appalachian regional commission is getting the shit kicked out of it and this is just a symptom. we're so incredibly fucked

[blenselche]

ik I don't talk politics on this dumb fandom account but as someone living in a coal town this feels personal enough to try and make some noise over:

NIOSH maintains the Coal Workers’ Health Surveillance Program, which maintains a mobile screening service that helps miners catch black lung early. [...] This program has been entirely gutted by Kennedy’s recent actions.

“The expected cuts to NIOSH will inevitably lead to worse health and safety conditions for coal miners — and other workers — in more ways than we can count,” said Appalachian Voices Government Affairs Specialist Quenton King. “NIOSH oversees black lung research that helped miners and medical professionals alike understand the scale of the black lung epidemic that we’re still seeing today. Its mobile clinic went directly to mining communities to provide free, confidential screenings so miners can find out if they have black lung disease.”

"[...] Every coal miner in the country is going to be worse off if these cuts aren’t reversed.”

This was supposed to be the most pro-coal administration, mind you. Coal miners and their health are not wasteful spending. Disgusting. If you live in a coal town you should be getting on your rep's ass about this.

additional link:

Tell Congress to Stop the Cuts to NIOSH