According to the Associated Press, Kentucky’s U.S. Senate candidates disagree on a bill to recover pensions and health benefits for thousands of retired union coal miners. The bill before the U.S. Senate would use some of the $490 million each year that comes through the federal Abandoned Mie Land program to rescue health benefits of union coal miners whose companies have gone out of business. It would also help fortify the United Mine Workers of America pension fund which was severely impacted by the 2008 recession. U.S. Senator Rand Paul supports the bill, but said it should help all coal miners, not just those unionized. Democratic candidate Jim Gray supports is as well, calling it a “positive, bipartisan step.”