[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S9629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            MODIFICATION OF PENSION NONDISCRIMINATION RULES

 Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I rise today as an original 
cosponsor of legislation to modify the application of pension 
nondiscrimination rules to governmental pension plans. This legislation 
will provide relief to State and local governments from unnecessary and 
overly burdensome Federal regulations.
  Pension nondiscrimination laws enacted by the Federal Government 
ensure that workers at all levels of employment are given access to the 
benefits of tax-exempt pension plans. As employers, State and local 
governments employ a wide range of workers, from judges to firefighters 
to teachers. Each occupation requires that its unique circumstances be 
considered when determining pension benefits. Laws that were created by 
the Federal Government do not adequately address the needs of the 
diverse work force of State and local governments.
  Public pension plans are negotiated by popularly elected governments 
and subject to public scrutiny. They do not require a high degree of 
Federal review. The process of enacting these plans promotes fair 
benefits for governmental employees. Public pension plans have been 
given temporary exemption from nondiscrimination laws for almost 20 
years, and the result is that full-time public employees enjoy almost 
twice the pension coverage rate of their counterparts in the private 
sector. It is time to make this temporary exemption permanent.
  This bill enjoys a wide range of support from State and local 
governments, as well as public employee representatives. I urge my 
colleagues to join Senator Hatch and myself, along with a bipartisan 
group of Senators, to ease the burden of Federal regulation on State 
and local governments. I look forward to this bill's consideration in 
committee and on the Senate floor.

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