Yellow | SENATORS ARE RESPONDING......................

My Honorable Senator Sherrod Brown, read the bill HR 83, and the amendment concerning ERISA, changes and pension cuts. He said as you will see in his reply to me that the bill is flawed and only will help PBGC to survive for two extra years. He will continue to fight for all pensions.

Also note: Other senators now know they made a mistake so read Hemorrhoid's Letter from his Senator as well which I will find and post here next.

Sherrod Brown <[email protected]>
5:21 PM (16 hours ago)



to me

Dear Mr. and Mrs. LAMMERS:
Thank you for getting in touch with me about pension plan benefits.
Pensions are critical to helping our nation’s retirees support themselves after they leave the workforce. Workers spend their entire career earning their pensions, and for many Americans, defined benefit pensions combine with Social Security to form the foundation of worker’s retirement security. It is essential that retirees receive the benefits they earned and have been promised.
In December 2014, Congress passed and President Obama signed legislation funding government programs through September 30, 2015. The bill included legislation restructuring our nation’s multiemployer pensions system. Specifically, the bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) giving trustees the ability to petition the Treasury Department for the right to reduce retiree benefits in order to save troubled pension plans. As a result, nearly 1.5 million current and future retirees could see their pension benefits cut. The legislation also doubled the premiums employers must pay into the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC), the government sponsored entity that insures defined benefit pension plans. The combination of these premium increases and potential cuts, however, have been estimated to improve the long-term solvency of the PBGC by only two years.
Please know that I will continue to fight to ensure that current and future retirees receive the benefits they have earned. This issue is extremely important to me, and I appreciate any additional input you may have. Thank you again for being in touch with me.
Sincerely,
Sherrod Brown
United States Senator

Well-Known Member
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Suggest everyone not wait for the "Official Action" from AARP, Teamsters, Tdu, Pension Rights Center they will be along later. Response I got back from one Senator who voted yes, (see below), will fire a copy to new incoming Senator as soon as his office is up and running. Gary Peters my incoming Senator voted yes in the house, Both Democrats.....somebody said they back the working man/middle income.

First, I want to apologize, as this letter was posted by Brother WOLF, not Brother Hemorrhoid. Both are true Americans.

Dear XXXXXX,



Thank you for contacting me about the pension proposal that was attached to the government funding bill. I am strongly opposed to any retiree benefit cuts.

A pension is a promise – a promise that must be kept. Hard-working Americans spend their careers paying into a pension on the promise that their pension will be there for them when they retire.

The way this was done was truly terrible - ramming this proposal through on the must-pass annual funding bill when our country was facing a government shutdown!

I will personally continue to make pension protections a top priority. And I will keep fighting to make long-term protection for the pensions that hardworking Americans have earned a top priority for Congress. Few things are more important to keeping our middle class than protecting our pension system.

Thank you again for contacting me. Please continue to keep me informed about issues of concern to you and your family.



Sincerely,

Debbie Stabenow
United States Senator

ESP said:

My Honorable Senator Sherrod Brown, read the bill HR 83, and the amendment concerning ERISA, changes and pension cuts. He said as you will see in his reply to me that the bill is flawed and only will help PBGC to survive for two extra years. He will continue to fight for all pensions.

Also note: Other senators now know they made a mistake so read Hemorrhoid's Letter from his Senator as well which I will find and post here next.

Sherrod Brown <[email protected]>
5:21 PM (16 hours ago)

to me

Dear Mr. and Mrs. LAMMERS:
Thank you for getting in touch with me about pension plan benefits.
Pensions are critical to helping our nation’s retirees support themselves after they leave the workforce. Workers spend their entire career earning their pensions, and for many Americans, defined benefit pensions combine with Social Security to form the foundation of worker’s retirement security. It is essential that retirees receive the benefits they earned and have been promised.
In December 2014, Congress passed and President Obama signed legislation funding government programs through September 30, 2015. The bill included legislation restructuring our nation’s multiemployer pensions system. Specifically, the bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) giving trustees the ability to petition the Treasury Department for the right to reduce retiree benefits in order to save troubled pension plans. As a result, nearly 1.5 million current and future retirees could see their pension benefits cut. The legislation also doubled the premiums employers must pay into the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC), the government sponsored entity that insures defined benefit pension plans. The combination of these premium increases and potential cuts, however, have been estimated to improve the long-term solvency of the PBGC by only two years.
Please know that I will continue to fight to ensure that current and future retirees receive the benefits they have earned. This issue is extremely important to me, and I appreciate any additional input you may have. Thank you again for being in touch with me.
Sincerely,
Sherrod Brown
United States Senator

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I received a response in the mail yesterday from my Congressman also a Democrat(who voted no) saying about the same thing if I had a scanner I would scan it to trucking boards but at least he took the time to reply still have no response from my Senators Republican or Democrat both that voted yes..

hemorrhoid said:

I received a response in the mail yesterday from my Congressman also a Democrat(who voted no) saying about the same thing if I had a scanner I would scan it to trucking boards but at least he took the time to reply still have no response from my Senators Republican or Democrat both that voted yes..

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Thank You very much, I am trying to get 410,000 members of Central States, to send an email or better yet a letter to their senator, asking them to bring this up for floor vote in the next session in the new year. I am not looking for class action, merges, reverses, or anything, except a fair chance to have this heard ON, its own merit. As Stated by Senator Brown, This new bill does not do anything good for anyone or body concerned. WE MUST STAND UNITED!!!!!!!!!!

ESP said:

My Honorable Senator Sherrod Brown, read the bill HR 83, and the amendment concerning ERISA, changes and pension cuts. He said as you will see in his reply to me that the bill is flawed and only will help PBGC to survive for two extra years. He will continue to fight for all pensions.

Also note: Other senators now know they made a mistake so read Hemorrhoid's Letter from his Senator as well which I will find and post here next.

Sherrod Brown <[email protected]>
5:21 PM (16 hours ago)

to me

Dear Mr. and Mrs. LAMMERS:
Thank you for getting in touch with me about pension plan benefits.
Pensions are critical to helping our nation’s retirees support themselves after they leave the workforce. Workers spend their entire career earning their pensions, and for many Americans, defined benefit pensions combine with Social Security to form the foundation of worker’s retirement security. It is essential that retirees receive the benefits they earned and have been promised.
In December 2014, Congress passed and President Obama signed legislation funding government programs through September 30, 2015. The bill included legislation restructuring our nation’s multiemployer pensions system. Specifically, the bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) giving trustees the ability to petition the Treasury Department for the right to reduce retiree benefits in order to save troubled pension plans. As a result, nearly 1.5 million current and future retirees could see their pension benefits cut. The legislation also doubled the premiums employers must pay into the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC), the government sponsored entity that insures defined benefit pension plans. The combination of these premium increases and potential cuts, however, have been estimated to improve the long-term solvency of the PBGC by only two years.
Please know that I will continue to fight to ensure that current and future retirees receive the benefits they have earned. This issue is extremely important to me, and I appreciate any additional input you may have. Thank you again for being in touch with me.
Sincerely,
Sherrod Brown
United States Senator

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Just sent a copy of the response you received to all my representatives my hope is they will read it and maybe realize what a mistake they made.
I don't know what if anything that can be done to fix this bill but maybe if they see one of there own is against it may start them thinking...

sen. mikulski and sen.cardin both replied by voting yes on cromnibus

My Senators, Coats (R) and Donnelly (D) voted yes. I contacted their offices several times prior to the vote. No written response as yet. My Representative Visklosky (D) who I contacted as well voted no. I have received a written response from him, thanking me for my interest.

albag said:

My Senators, Coats (R) and Donnelly (D) voted yes. I contacted their offices several times prior to the vote. No written response as yet. My Representative Visklosky (D) who I contacted as well voted no. I have received a written response from him, thanking me for my interest.

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Pete has always been good about responding.Coats is the one who was on a committee went to the wrong room sat down and I believe starting to ask a question before he realized he was in the wrong room..

Dear Gregory,



Thank you for contacting me regarding the so-called "cromnibus" spending bill recently considered in the Senate. It is good to hear from you.

As you may be aware, I voted against the cromnibus. Over the past four years, the White House and Congress have not completed a single appropriations bill on time, resulting in continuing resolutions and sequestration, throwing the nation into one budget crisis after another.

This irresponsible way of governing has real consequences. As you know, at the last minute House lawmakers inserted into the bill a provision (the "Kline-Miller amendment") modifying the statutory ERISA pension guarantees for certain multi-employer pensions. This provision was drafted by the House of Representatives and then sent to the Senate for a quick vote before we could properly review it, or even fully analyze and understand its full impact on workers and families. The hard-earned pensions of Ohio's workers are too important to not fully understand the implications of this provision.

In the next Congress, I will keep your pension policy views in mind while advocating greater opportunities for growing retirement savings. Since a weak economy is not conducive to saving, I will also work towards improving the economy to give Americans the certainty they need to safely invest in their futures.

Again, thank you for taking the time to write. I am honored to represent you and the great state of Ohio in the United States Senate. For more information, please visit my website at www.portman.senate.gov. Please keep in touch.




Sincerely,



Rob Portman
U.S. Senator

werbankrupt said:

sen. mikulski and sen.cardin both replied by voting yes on cromnibus

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They need to have a copy of Senator Brown, from Ohio's letter to me. It tells of why the plan will not work, at the cost of thousands of retirees benefits.

xcsp said:

Dear Gregory,



Thank you for contacting me regarding the so-called "cromnibus" spending bill recently considered in the Senate. It is good to hear from you.

As you may be aware, I voted against the cromnibus. Over the past four years, the White House and Congress have not completed a single appropriations bill on time, resulting in continuing resolutions and sequestration, throwing the nation into one budget crisis after another.

This irresponsible way of governing has real consequences. As you know, at the last minute House lawmakers inserted into the bill a provision (the "Kline-Miller amendment") modifying the statutory ERISA pension guarantees for certain multi-employer pensions. This provision was drafted by the House of Representatives and then sent to the Senate for a quick vote before we could properly review it, or even fully analyze and understand its full impact on workers and families. The hard-earned pensions of Ohio's workers are too important to not fully understand the implications of this provision.

In the next Congress, I will keep your pension policy views in mind while advocating greater opportunities for growing retirement savings. Since a weak economy is not conducive to saving, I will also work towards improving the economy to give Americans the certainty they need to safely invest in their futures.

Again, thank you for taking the time to write. I am honored to represent you and the great state of Ohio in the United States Senate. For more information, please visit my website at www.portman.senate.gov. Please keep in touch.




Sincerely,



Rob Portman
U.S. Senator

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Senator Rob Portman, is a great American, He will look out for us, Thank you for posting this and Merry Christmas.

ESP said:

My Honorable Senator Sherrod Brown, read the bill HR 83, and the amendment concerning ERISA, changes and pension cuts. He said as you will see in his reply to me that the bill is flawed and only will help PBGC to survive for two extra years. He will continue to fight for all pensions.

Also note: Other senators now know they made a mistake so read Hemorrhoid's Letter from his Senator as well which I will find and post here next.

Sherrod Brown <[email protected]>
5:21 PM (16 hours ago)

to me

Dear Mr. and Mrs. LAMMERS:
Thank you for getting in touch with me about pension plan benefits.
Pensions are critical to helping our nation’s retirees support themselves after they leave the workforce. Workers spend their entire career earning their pensions, and for many Americans, defined benefit pensions combine with Social Security to form the foundation of worker’s retirement security. It is essential that retirees receive the benefits they earned and have been promised.
In December 2014, Congress passed and President Obama signed legislation funding government programs through September 30, 2015. The bill included legislation restructuring our nation’s multiemployer pensions system. Specifically, the bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) giving trustees the ability to petition the Treasury Department for the right to reduce retiree benefits in order to save troubled pension plans. As a result, nearly 1.5 million current and future retirees could see their pension benefits cut. The legislation also doubled the premiums employers must pay into the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC), the government sponsored entity that insures defined benefit pension plans. The combination of these premium increases and potential cuts, however, have been estimated to improve the long-term solvency of the PBGC by only two years.
Please know that I will continue to fight to ensure that current and future retirees receive the benefits they have earned. This issue is extremely important to me, and I appreciate any additional input you may have. Thank you again for being in touch with me.
Sincerely,
Sherrod Brown
United States Senator

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Sherrod Brown is 1 of the few good US senators, unfortunately he's in the minotity now

Now wait till you read this: A cover up response or a real lowdown of what is in the bill. You make up your own mind, This is way too long of a statement to post on here. Google Education and the workforce committee. under protecting retirements. By Josh Gotbaum Dated 12-23-2014. Man this will hit the ORPHANS
right between the eyes, for a knock out blow. This so called new Chairman of the workforce committee, makes it out to be that, ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?
That Kline and Miller are real American Hero's. The three together, have no idea of what they have done to the American worker. Folks this is a must read!!!!!!!!!

ESP said:

Now wait till you read this: A cover up response or a real lowdown of what is in the bill. You make up your own mind, This is way too long of a statement to post on here. Google Education and the workforce committee. under protecting retirements. By Josh Gotbaum Dated 12-23-2014. Man this will hit the ORPHANS
right between the eyes, for a knock out blow. This so called new Chairman of the workforce committee, makes it out to be that, ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?
That Kline and Miller are real American Hero's. The three together, have no idea of what they have done to the American worker. Folks this is a must read!!!!!!!!!

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What is a orphan???
Say you work for a union company for 15 years they close you go to another union company for another 15 years then retire the first paid into the pension fund for the time they were in business and the second company is still in business would that make you a orphan??
If so I would guess over three quarters of the industry would be orphans.
Out of the 100 plus people I worked with 90% came from other companies..

I hope that everyone will maintain this level of awareness. Call your Senators and Representatives, encourage your co-workers to do the same. Call Harry Reid's office as well. Elizabeth Warren's, too. Call the sponsors, Minnesota's Kline (R) and Miller. Let them know just how important an issue this is to YOU.

hemorrhoid said:

What is a orphan???
Say you work for a union company for 15 years they close you go to another union company for another 15 years then retire the first paid into the pension fund for the time they were in business and the second company is still in business would that make you a orphan??
If so I would guess over three quarters of the industry would be orphans.
Out of the 100 plus people I worked with 90% came from other companies..

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Very good question H. First question is NO for an answer. Because you worked for an in business company and also the second was and still in business. Then you are not an ORPHAN, you are still subject to a 30% cut by the the master.
I am an ORPHAN, because I worked for three companies, none of them are in business today or have been since I retired. So I have a big target on my back side. I am the one who broke the fund. So says the two thieves.
Your right, now consider RDX, Company is no longer here, so is it fair to say anyone who retired from RDX is an Orphan? Good question, did yellow continue to pay in for them? The only clear orphans are like me, Thousands of us. How will they in charge of the fund, look at the YRC guys? The company is only paying in 25% to the pension. I hope they are NOT going to be Orphans. Your answer, is IF YOU WORKED ALL OF YOUR YEARS IN THE TEAMSTER COMPANIES WHO PAID IN AND THE LAST ONE YOU RETIRED FROM IS STILL IN BUSINESS, YOU ARE SAFE, BUT MAY STILL TAKE A CUT.

To all of my brothers and sisters out there:.................., Just because you have seen a letter on here from your Senator, that you did not write to. Does not mean you do not need to write or email one yourself. Safety is in the numbers, Millions Please, Make this # 1 priority. This is your money, your pension. YES some fixing is needed, but to bury the ORPHANS, to save the UPS people, This looks like corruption to me, just my opinion. I know that is not how anybody else sees it. SO, WRITE THOSE LETTERS! SEND THOSE EMAILS!!!! HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS and A HAPPY NEW YEAR. All I want is a Senator to ask for and get a floor to address this as a stand alone bill. You have to decide if it is worth it or not.

albag said:

I hope that everyone will maintain this level of awareness. Call your Senators and Representatives, encourage your co-workers to do the same. Call Harry Reid's office as well. Elizabeth Warren's, too. Call the sponsors, Minnesota's Kline (R) and Miller. Let them know just how important an issue this is to YOU.

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If anyone out there, does not know how to get your email numbers or phone numbers. Just google Emails for Senators, all 100 will come up. Same for phone numbers. Merry Christmas to All. Thanks Albag, for helping to lead the fight.

ESP said:

If anyone out there, does not know how to get your email numbers or phone numbers. Just google Emails for Senators, all 100 will come up. Same for phone numbers. Merry Christmas to All. Thanks Albag, for helping to lead the fight.

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I tried that with McGovern and Hastings I went to there web site tried to e mail them only to find out you have to be in there district.
I never gave a thought of calling might be the way to go...

I agree this bill has been kicked around for 3 or 4 years and would never stand alone what we need is to have it be brought up again somehow hopefully by then the YES voters will have taken the time to read thru the 161 pages to realize how bad it really is...
At any rate everyone has to keep on there representatives..

They're on vacation. Not even in Washington. Your getting letters from congressional aids that tell you what you want to hear. Done deal. We are being played like a chess set by the best politicians lobbyist money can buy.