Tens of thousands of coal miners will have their health benefits and pensions preserved as part of the year-end government spending deal.

The provision was spearheaded by Sen. Joe Manchin Joseph (Joe) ManchinTrump taps Amy Coney Barrett for Supreme Court, setting up confirmation sprint Sunday shows preview: Lawmakers prepare for SCOTUS confirmation hearings before election Supreme Court fight pushes Senate toward brink MORE (D-W.Va.), who last week threatened to block leadership from speeding up any bills until there was a deal to shore up funding for miners' pensions and health care.

“Today we came to an agreement that will finally secure pensions and healthcare for our coal miners and their families. It has been the honor of my life to lead this fight and bring together the coalition that made this possible,” Manchin said in a statement Monday.

Manchin introduced the Bipartisan American Miners Act earlier this year, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellHawley warns Schumer to steer clear of Catholic-based criticisms of Barrett Senate GOP set to vote on Trump's Supreme Court pick before election Harris slams Trump's Supreme Court pick as an attempt to 'destroy the Affordable Care Act' MORE (R-Ky.) and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito Shelley Wellons Moore CapitoCongress must finish work on popular conservation bill before time runs out Second GOP senator to quarantine after exposure to coronavirus GOP senator to quarantine after coronavirus exposure MORE (R-W.Va.) as co-sponsors. He said the bill secures lifetime health care benefits for the 13,000 miners who would have lost their benefits entirely and 92,000 miners who would have seen their pensions gutted next year without Congressional action.

In the past, Manchin and the United Mine Workers of America have been critical of McConnell for blocking votes to secure the pensions and health benefits. For example, McConnell in 2017 introduced his own bill to provide for miners’ health care benefits, but it did not address pensions.