WASHINGTON — Lawmakers representing coal-producing states are using every political device they can — including threatening to trigger a partial government shutdown to holding up a White House nominee — to prevent health care benefits for more than 22,000 retired miners from expiring at the end of April.

Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, has threatened to indefinitely delay President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. trade representative unless Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell brings the miners health care fix to a vote.

Rep. David McKinley, a West Virginia Republican, threatened to vote against the Republican House leadership’s health care replacement bill as leverage and secured a pledge from Trump to help the retired miners.

Senate Democrats, including Manchin and Ohio’s Sherrod Brown, almost forced a government shutdown in December over the issue, until McConnell negotiated a four-month extension of the benefits. With the clock ticking on that extension, they haven’t ruled out doing it again.

Earlier this month, more than 22,000 retired miners or their widows got notices that they wouldn’t have health care after April 28. It’s the second time in four months this has happened; some 16,000 got identical notices late last year their benefits were at risk.

Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan pulled the health care bill after they couldn’t get enough Republican votes to pass it. It’s unclear how the failure will affect negotiations over the miners benefits.