[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 60 (Thursday, April 6, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E480]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   NATIONAL RETIREMENT PLANNING WEEK

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                             HON. DON BACON

                              of nebraska

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 6, 2017

  Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the more than 
48 million Americans who have currently reached retirement age. 
Shockingly, a significant number of Americans have saved nothing for 
their retirement. While retirement is often viewed as an issue for 
older Americans, today's economic realities mean that saving for 
retirement needs to start earlier than ever before. With rising 
healthcare costs, longer life spans, a burdensome tax code, and a 
reduction of pension offerings, more Americans than ever before are 
shouldering the burden of financing retirement entirely by themselves.
  The first week of April has annually been proclaimed as National 
Retirement Planning Week. Under the leadership of the National 
Retirement Planning Coalition, we are all being urged to rethink what 
we believe we know about retirement planning. Despite developing 
trends, the National Retirement Planning Coalition hopes to help guide 
all Americans towards securing a dignified retirement through holistic 
planning.
  Mr. Speaker, there are steps we all can take to achieve financial 
independence in our retirement years. We now have the opportunity to 
renew the national conversation on the importance of preparing and 
protecting retirement. I encourage my colleagues to support legislation 
which will help their constituents prepare for a dignified retirement.

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