Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) released the following statement after the U.S. Treasury Department rejected an application by the Central States Pension Fund to cut retiree benefits by as much as 70 percent.
“Today’s decision by the Treasury Department is a relief for the thousands of retirees whose lives would have been turned upside down by drastic cuts to their pensions. Now families do not have to worry if they can stay in their home or afford their medicine, or wonder if they need to sell their car or cut back on groceries just to get by. But we cannot stop fighting. While we are pleased that Treasury agreed that placing an inordinate burden on workers and retirees is not the only option for Central States, it is now time for all stakeholders to return to the negotiating table to find a solution that guarantees workers the pensions they have earned and doesn’t threaten their security in their retirement years. We will not stop fighting until these retirees get the benefits they deserve.”
Dingell has been fighting against proposed cuts to retiree pensions since the plan was announced. In February, she led a bipartisan coalition of 89 House colleagues in sending a letter to the U.S. Treasury Department urging the rejection of the application by Central States. She is also a cosponsor of HR 2844, the Keep Our Pension Promises Act, which would close several tax loopholes to help shore up at-risk multiemployer pension plans to help ensure that retirees get the benefits they have earned.
