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IAM members, other labor unions and retirement security supporters rallied on Capitol Hill in support of the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act of 2019 (H.R. 397), better known as the Butch Lewis Act. The Ways and Means Committee advanced the legislation, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA), on a party line vote with all the Democrats voting in support.
Chairman @BobbyScott applauds the @WaysMeansCmte for advancing the #ButchLewisAct: "Retirees, workers, employers, and taxpayers are counting on Congress to address the multiemployer pension crisis, and we must deliver a solution for them.” https://t.co/LmAv04fmvh https://t.co/iu7QvRE2cO
— Committee on Education & Labor (@EdLaborCmte) July 10, 2019
The Butch Lewis Act would offer federally subsidized loans to multiemployer plans in danger of becoming insolvent. It would also maintain the health of well-funded multiemployer plans and adequately fund the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), without making any cuts to the earned benefits of current or future retirees. Plans would invest the money from these loans and use the investment earnings to pay retiree benefits and improve the plan’s financial health.
“The Butch Lewis Act is the only solution put forth to date which appropriately and adequately addresses the multiemployer pension crisis by providing a lifeline to plans in critical financial status while maintaining the integrity of healthy multiemployer plans and the PBGC without cutting the earned benefit promises made to our nation’s retirees and working families,” said Machinists Union International President Robert Martinez, Jr.
IAM members are attending the @WaysMeansCmte. We need to #ProtectOurPensions. Let’s pass the #ButchLewisAct now! #1u pic.twitter.com/aFOFt10J9J
— Machinists Union (@MachinistsUnion) July 10, 2019
We’re on Capitol Hill calling for the passage of #HR397. Working families earned their retirement. Let’s protect it. Support the #ButchLewis Act. #ProtectOurPension pic.twitter.com/MDAKdy6PJT
— AFL-CIO (@AFLCIO) July 10, 2019
