[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 29 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 29

     Declaring the sense of the House with respect to the National 
     Performance Review's recommendation to dismantle the railroad 
                           retirement system.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 5, 1995

 Mr. Clinger submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
  the Committee Ways and Means and, in addition, to the Committee on 
  Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Declaring the sense of the House with respect to the National 
     Performance Review's recommendation to dismantle the railroad 
                           retirement system.

Whereas the railroad industry pioneered the establishment of private industrial 
        pension plans in the United States;
Whereas in the wake of the Great Depression, Congress assumed the responsibility 
        of ensuring the financial integrity of railroad pension plans by 
        developing a federally administered retirement program;
Whereas for nearly 60 years, millions of rail workers have contributed in good 
        faith to a railroad retirement system which has generally served them 
        well;
Whereas today, over 1,200,000 railroad workers, retirees, widows, and family 
        members rely on the railroad retirement system for retirement, 
        disability, survivor, unemployment and sickness benefits;
Whereas railroad employers and employees pay taxes into the Railroad Retirement 
        and Railroad Unemployment Insurance Trust Funds to finance the 
        administration of the railroad retirement system;
Whereas only vested dual benefits are appropriated from the general treasury;
Whereas the structure of the Railroad Retirement Board, which includes 3 members 
        selected to represent the interests of the rail industry, railway labor 
        organizations, and the public, respectively, fosters a close 
        relationship between management and labor;
Whereas the National Performance Review's report ``From Red Tape to Results: 
        Creating a Government That Works Better and Costs Less'' recommends the 
        elimination of the Railroad Retirement Board and the transfer of its 
        functions to other Federal agencies in order to realize greater 
        Government efficiency and cost savings;
Whereas railroad retirees, employees, and their families in Pennsylvania and 
        throughout the country strongly oppose this proposal; and
Whereas previous Administrations have proposed dismantling the railroad 
        retirement system and failed to implement such recommendations: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) a continued Federal commitment to the railroad 
        retirement system is essential to assure the integrity of 
        railroad retirees' benefits;
            (2) the preservation of the present structure of the 
        railroad system, including the administrative framework of the 
        Railroad Retirement Board, is necessary to fulfill the time-
        honored responsibility of the Government;
            (3) dismantling the railroad retirement system will neither 
        increase Government efficiency nor save the American taxpayers 
        money, but instead burden rail workers and their families; and
            (4) the National Performance Review's proposal to transfer 
        administrative functions of the railroad retirement system to 
        other Federal agencies and eliminate the Railroad Retirement 
        Board should be rejected.
                                 <all>