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Kaptur and Ryan lead lawmakers to call on Trump to consider fair pension reform to protect retirees

March 7, 2017

Washington, D.C. -- Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) and Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13) today sent a letter signed by 21 lawmakers to President Donald Trump urging action on America's multiemployer pension crisis. The letter tasks President Trump to work with Congress and repeal the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act (MPRA) in favor of a more equitable solution. MPRA could force 1.5 million retirees to face the threat of reduced retirement benefits.

"Our retirees deserve better, and should not continue to carry the burden of bad policy. I call on President Trump to side with working people and support legislation that protects retirees," said Congresswoman Kaptur. "These pensions are earned benefits, period. The current law is unfair and could do severe economic harm to families and communities across this country."

"Workers in this country are profit creators. Pensions are not ‘benefits' given as a gift from employer to employee, they are deferred payment for work that was already done. And when these pensions are cut or dissolved, it is a clear breach of contract and workers are being robbed. I call on President Trump to do the right thing for the 47,000 Ohioans and 10 million Americans who have had their hard earned retirement security ripped away from them through no fault of their own," said Congressman Ryan.

The letter was signed by Reps. Kaptur, (Tim) Ryan, Higgins, Tonko, Peterson, Beatty, Green, Napolitano, Nolan, Bustos, Visclosky, Schakowsky, McCollum, Cleaver, Pocan, Moore, Dingell, Lynch, Walz, Wasserman Schultz, Fudge, Jayapal, Speier.

See letter attached.

3.7.17 Trump Multiemployer Pension Crisis.pdf