Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 83.djvu/826

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Benefits. Payment by Federal government.

80 Stat. 383. Annual report to C o n g r e s s.

PUBLIC LAW 91-173-DEC. 30, 1969

[83 STAT.

notice of cancellation has been sent by registered or certified mail to the Secretary and to the operator at his last known place of business. SEC. 424. If a totally disabled miner or a widow is entitled to benefits under section 422 and (1) an operator liable for such benefits has not obtained a policy or contract of insurance, or qualified as a selfinsurer, as required by section 423, or such operator has not paid such benefits within a reasonable time, or (2) there is no operator who was required to secure the payment of such benefits, the Secretary shall pay such miner or such widow the benefits to which he or she is so entitled. In a case referred to in clause (1), the operator shall be liable to the United States in a civil action in an amount equal to the amount paid to such miner or his widow under this title. SEC. 425. With the consent and cooperation of State agencies charged with administration of State workmen's compensation laws, the Secretary may, for the purpose of carrying out his functions and duties under section 422, utilize the services of State and local agencies and their employees and, notwithstanding any other provision of law, m a j advance funds to or reimburse such State and local agencies and their employees for services rendered for such purposes. SEC. 426. (a) The Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare are authorized to issue such regulations as each deems appropriate to carry out the provisions of this title. Such regulations shall be issued in conformity with section 553 of title 5 of the United States Code, notwithstanding subsection (a) thereof. (b) Within 120 days following the convening of each session of Congress the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare shall submit to the Congress an annual report upon the subject matter of part B of this title, and, after January 1, 1973, the Secretary of Labor shall also submit such a report upon the subject matter of part C of this title. (c) Nothing in this title shall relieve any operator of the duty to comply with any State workmen's compensation law, except insofar as such State law is in conflict with the provisions of this title and the Secretary by regulation, so prescribes. The provisions of any State workmen's compensation law which provide greater benefits than the benefits payable under this title shall not thereby be construed or held to be in conflict with the provisions of this title. TITLE V—ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH

SEC. 501. (a) The Secretary and the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, as appropriate, shall conduct such studies, research, experiments, and demonstrations as may be appropriate— (1) to improve working conditions and practices in coal mines, and to prevent accidents and occupational diseases originating in the coal-mining industry; (2) to develop new or improved methods of recovering persons in coal mines after an accident; (3) to develop new or improved means and methods of communication from the surface to the underground area of a coal mine; (4) to develop new or improved means and methods of reducing concentrations of respirable dust in the mine atmosphere of active workings of the coal mine;

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