EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT

Amendments

Pensions: change the 30-year treasury bond rate to a composite corporate rate (H.R. 3108), H9251 [7OC], H9294 [8OC]

———provide additional protection to participants in individual account plans and promote investment advice (H.R. 1000), H4013, H4014 [13MY], H4073 [14MY]

———provide additional protection to participants in individual account plans and promote investment advice (H.R. 1000), consideration (H. Res. 230), H4039 [14MY]

Small business: improve access and choice relative to employee health care (H.R. 660), H5605, H5625 [19JN]

———improve access and choice relative to employee health care (H.R. 660), consideration (H. Res. 283), H5560 [19JN]

Analyses

Increase Penalties Relating to Conspiracy, Mail Fraud, Wire Fraud, and ERISA Violations, S5326-S5331 [11AP]

Articles and editorials

What if a Pension Shift Hit Lawmakers, Too?, E447 [12MR]

Bills and resolutions

Courts: exclude from preemption State causes of action to enforce determinations by group health plans based on medical necessity (see H.R. 596), H320 [5FE]

———exempt from preemption, under State tort actions to recover damages, any employee welfare benefit plan providing disability benefits that fails to provide timely benefits (see H.R. 1876), H3569 [30AP]

Dept. of Labor: establish Small Employer Health Benefits Program (see H.R. 2850), H7615 [24JY]

Diseases: require group and individual health insurance coverage of screening for breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer (see H.R. 3362), H9811 [21OC]

Federal employees: health benefits coverage for infertility treatment (see H.R. 3014), H7949 [4SE]

Government regulations: provide for prompt compliance with reporting requirements and prompt enforcement of such requirements (see H.R. 2084), H4129 [14MY]

Health: establish standards to improve children's health quality in managed care plans and other health plans (see S. 1710), S12448 [3OC]

———improve access to health insurance and Medicare benefits for certain individuals and provide Medicaid financial assistance to individuals who are too poor to afford premiums (see H.R. 3189), H8949 [25SE]

———promote and facilitate expansion of group health insurance coverage (see H.R. 2321), H4976 [4JN]

———protection of enrollees in managed care plans and HMO's (see S. 1945), S15812 [24NO] (see H.R. 597), H320 [5FE]

———provide emergency protection for retiree health benefits (see H.R. 1322), H1953 [18MR]

———provide health insurance protections for individuals who are living organ donors (see S. 186), S1069 [16JA]

Insurance: coverage of fertility and impotence treatment under group and individual health plans and the Federal employees' health benefits program (see H.R. 1852), H3451 [29AP]

———coverage of minimum hospital stays for mastectomies and lymph node removals relative to breast cancer (see S. 1684), S12192 [30SE] (see H.R. 1886), H3570 [30AP]

———coverage of screening mammography (see H.R. 736), H461 [12FE] (see H.R. 1314), H1953 [18MR] (see H.R. 1851), H3451 [29AP]

———extend mental health coverage parity (see S. 1875), S14965 [17NO] (see S. 1929), S15407 [21NO]

———provide coverage for individuals participating in approved cancer clinical trials (see H.R. 2021), H3761 [7MY]

———provide nondiscriminatory coverage of substance abuse treatment services under private group and individual health coverage (see S. 1138), S6978 [22MY] (see H.R. 2256), H4736 [22MY]

———require comprehensive coverage for childhood immunizations (see H.R. 2095), H4130 [14MY]

———require group and individual health insurance coverage and group health plans to provide prompt payment for health benefits claims (see H.R. 848), H703 [13FE]

———require group and individual health plans to provide coverage for second opinions (see H.R. 1319), H1953 [18MR]

———require health plans to cover treatment of a minor child's congenital or developmental deformity or disorder due to trauma, infection, tumor, or disease (see S. 977), S5650 [1MY] (see H.R. 296), H136 [8JA]

———require health plans to provide direct access to services provided by obstetrician-gynecologists without a referral (see H.R. 1469), H2470 [27MR]

Mental health: provide for equal insurance coverage of benefits unless comparable limitations are imposed on medical and surgical benefits (see S. 486), S2920 [27FE] (see S. 1832), S14176 [6NO] (see H.R. 953), H1459 [27FE]

Native Americans: regulate Indian tribal governments under the same rules and procedures that apply to Federal, State, and local government employers relative to establishment and maintenance of employee benefit plans (see H.R. 3605), H12308 [21NO]

Pensions: allow for alienation of benefits to satisfy court judgments, decrees, or orders requiring restitution for embezzlement of State or local government funds (see H.R. 2222), H4734 [22MY]

———change the 30-year treasury bond rate to a composite corporate rate (see H.R. 3108), H8380 [17SE]

———ensure adequate funding of pension plans (see S. 1610), S11416 [11SE]

———ensure employees are not improperly disqualified from pension and welfare benefits based on status misclassification or reclassification (see H.R. 1397), H2269 [20MR]

———improve disclosure of funding status of single-employer pension plans (see H.R. 3005), H7948 [4SE]

———increase the maximum levels of guaranteed single-employer plan benefits (see H.R. 3623), H12308 [21NO]

———joint trusteeship of single-employer plans (see H.R. 323), H137 [8JA]

———prevent preemption of State community property law as it relates to nonforfeitable accrued retirement benefits (see S. 1616), S11479 [15SE]

———promote the provision of retirement investment advice to workers managing their retirement income assets (see S. 1698), S12277 [1OC]

———protect employee benefits in defined benefit plans and enforce age discrimination requirements that apply to conversion of pension plans to cash balance plans (see S. 825), S4957 [8AP] (see H.R. 1677), H2938 [8AP]

———protect retirement security of workers by ensuring assets are adequately diversified and providing workers with access to information about their plans (see S. 9), S35 [7JA]

———provide additional protection to participants in individual account plans and promote investment advice (see H.R. 1000), H1462 [27FE]

———provide additional protection to participants in individual account plans and promote investment advice (H.R. 1000), consideration (see H. Res. 230), H4010 [13MY]

———provide special rules for multiemployer or Teamster pension plans relative to termination and funding (see S. 1492), S10265 [30JY] (see H.R. 2910), H7781 [25JY]

———require equitable funding of pension plans maintained by corporations which also maintain executive pension plans (see H.R. 2078), H4011 [13MY]

———require Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., to compute the actuarial value of monthly benefits in the form of a life annuity for certain retired airline pilots (see S. 1569), S10906 [1AU]

———require Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., to notify plan participants and beneficiaries of commencement of proceedings to terminate any plan (see S. 744), S4557 [31MR]

———require plan administrators that provide access to automobile insurance to submit certain information on such insurance to the FTC (see H.R. 1842), H3451 [29AP]

Small business: improve access and choice relative to employee health care (see S. 545), S3252 [6MR] (see H.R. 660), H389 [11FE]

———improve access and choice relative to employee health care (H.R. 660), consideration (see H. Res. 283), H5550 [18JN]

Taxation: improve portability of retirement savings and expand pension coverage and savings opportunities (see S. 1912), S15406 [21NO]

———provide procedural fairness in application of controlled group provisions to employers who contribute to multiemployer pension plans and engage in bona fide corporate transactions (see S. 1857), S14804 [12NO]

Women: provide comprehensive pension protection (see S. 1617), S11479 [15SE]

Explanations

Small Business Health Fairness Act (S. 545), S3263-S3265 [6MR]

Letters

Pension Security Act: Representative Boehner, Committee on Education and the Workforce (House), H4060 [14MY]

———Representative Thomas, Committee on Ways and Means (House), H4060 [14MY]

Small Business Health Fairness Act: Douglas Holtz-Eakin, CBO, H5634 [19JN]

Lists

Organizations supporting S. 486, Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act, S13200-S13202 [24OC]

Motions

Pensions: provide additional protection to participants in individual account plans and promote investment advice (H.R. 1000), H4089 [14MY]

Small business: improve access and choice relative to employee health care (H.R. 660), H5636 [19JN]

Remarks in House

Dept. of the Treasury: prohibit funding to assist in overturning district court ruling on IBM Corp., cash balance pension conversion, H8040-H8043 [9SE], E1774 [11SE]

Employee Benefit Research Institute: anniversary, E1802 [16SE], E1839 [17SE]

Government regulations: provide for prompt compliance with reporting requirements and prompt enforcement of such requirements, H4037 [14MY]

Health: expand health care access and choice of coverage through association health plans, H5555, H5612-H5624, H5627-H5635 [19JN]

———provide emergency protection for retiree health benefits (H.R. 1322), H2104 [19MR]

Insurance: extend mental health coverage parity (S. 1929), H12863 [8DE]

———require comprehensive coverage for childhood immunizations (H.R. 2095), E948 [14MY]

———require group and individual health plans to provide coverage for second opinions (H.R. 1319), E504 [18MR]

———require health plans to provide direct access to services provided by obstetrician-gynecologists without a referral (H.R. 1469), E608 [27MR]

Mental health: provide for equal insurance coverage of benefits unless comparable limitations are imposed on medical and surgical benefits (H.R. 953), E312, E319 [27FE]

Pensions: allow for alienation of benefits to satisfy court judgments, decrees, or orders requiring restitution for embezzlement of State or local government funds (H.R. 2222), E1071 [23MY]

———change the 30-year treasury bond rate to a composite corporate rate (H.R. 3108), H9250 [7OC], H9293-H9302 [8OC], E1839 [17SE], E2070 [17OC]

———conversion of defined benefit plans to cash balance plans, E446 [12MR]

———protect employee benefits in defined benefit plans and enforce age discrimination requirements that apply to conversion of pension plans to cash balance plans, H4038, H4085 [14MY], H12838 [8DE]

———protect employee benefits in defined benefit plans and enforce age discrimination requirements that apply to conversion of pension plans to cash balance plans (H.R. 1677), E699, E708 [8AP]

———protection of workers whose employers convert from defined benefits to cash balance pension plans, H4090 [14MY]

———provide additional protection to participants in individual account plans and promote investment advice (H.R. 1000), H3978 [13MY], H4021, H4040-H4092 [14MY], E338, E339 [27FE], E975, E980 [15MY]

———provide additional protection to participants in individual account plans and promote investment advice (H.R. 1000), consideration (H. Res. 230), H4035-H4040 [14MY]

———provide additional protection to participants in individual account plans and promote investment advice (H.R. 1000), motion to recommit, H4090 [14MY]

———provide special rules for multiemployer or Teamster pension plans relative to termination and funding (H.R. 2910), E1659 [25JY]

———require equitable funding of pension plans maintained by corporations which also maintain executive pension plans (H.R. 2078), H4084 [14MY], E939 [13MY]

Small business: ensure continuation of existing group health plan coverage, H5636 [19JN]

———improve access and choice relative to employee health care (H.R. 660), H4225 [19MY], H5473 [18JN], H5597-H5638, H5649 [19JN], E1324 [23JN], E1331 [24JN], E1382, E1394 [27JN]

———improve access and choice relative to employee health care (H.R. 660), consideration (H. Res. 283), H5555-H5562 [19JN]

———improve access and choice relative to employee health care (H.R. 660), motion to recommit, H5636 [19JN]

Remarks in Senate

Crime: increase penalties relating to conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, and ERISA violations, S5325 [11AP]

Health: protection of enrollees in managed care plans and HMO's, S1505, S1506 [28JA]

———provide health insurance protections for individuals who are living organ donors (S. 186), S1078 [16JA]

Insurance: extend mental health coverage parity (S. 1875), S14970, S14971 [17NO], S15090 [18NO]

———extend mental health coverage parity (S. 1929), S15481 [21NO]

———require health plans to cover treatment of a minor child's congenital or developmental deformity or disorder due to trauma, infection, tumor, or disease (S. 977), S5668-S5670 [1MY]

Mental health: provide for equal insurance coverage of benefits unless comparable limitations are imposed on medical and surgical benefits, S5307 [11AP], S12368 [2OC]

———provide for equal insurance coverage of benefits unless comparable limitations are imposed on medical and surgical benefits (S. 1832), S14220 [6NO], S14282 [7NO]

———provide for equal insurance coverage of benefits unless comparable limitations are imposed on medical and surgical benefits (S. 486), S2971-S2974 [27FE], S13195-S13205 [24OC], S13259 [27OC], S13373 [28OC], S14144, S14145 [6NO]

———provide for equal insurance coverage of benefits unless comparable limitations are imposed on medical and surgical benefits (S. 486), unanimous-consent request, S13199 [24OC]

Pensions: change the 30-year treasury bond rate to a composite corporate rate (H.R. 3108), unanimous-consent agreement, S16150 [9DE]

———prevent preemption of State community property law as it relates to nonforfeitable accrued retirement benefits (S. 1616), S11481 [15SE]

———promote the provision of retirement investment advice to workers managing their retirement income assets (S. 1698), S12289-S12293 [1OC]

———protect employee benefits in defined benefit plans and enforce age discrimination requirements that apply to conversion of pension plans to cash balance plans (S. 825), S4973 [8AP]

———protect retirement security of workers by ensuring assets are adequately diversified and providing workers with access to information about their plans (S. 9), S134-S136 [9JA]

———protection of workers whose employers convert from defined benefits to cash balance pension plans, S1790-S1793 [30JA]

———provide special rules for multiemployer or Teamster pension plans relative to termination and funding (S. 1492), S10268 [30JY]

———reform, S2282-S2284 [12FE]

———require Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., to compute the actuarial value of monthly benefits in the form of a life annuity for certain retired airline pilots (S. 1569), S10919 [1AU]

Small business: improve access and choice relative to employee health care (S. 545), S3255 [6MR], S3667 [13MR], S10877-S10879 [1AU]

Taxation: improve portability of retirement savings and expand pension coverage and savings opportunities (S. 1912), S15408 [21NO]

———provide procedural fairness in application of controlled group provisions to employers who contribute to multiemployer pension plans and engage in bona fide corporate transactions (S. 1857), S14808 [12NO]

Women: provide comprehensive pension protection (S. 1617), S11482 [15SE]

Reports filed

Consideration of H.R. 660, Small Business Health Fairness Act: Committee on Rules (House) (H. Res. 283) (H. Rept. 108-160), H5550 [18JN]

Consideration of H.R. 1000, Pension Security Act: Committee on Rules (House) (H. Res. 230) (H. Rept. 108-98), H4010 [13MY]

Pension Security Act: Committee on Education and the Workforce (House) (H.R. 1000) (H. Rept. 108-43), H1952 [18MR]

Small Business Health Fairness Act: Committee on Education and the Workforce (House) (H.R. 660) (H. Rept. 108-156), H5407 [16JN]

Statements

Pension Security Act: Executive Office of the President, H4069 [14MY]

Summaries

Women's OB/GYN Medical Access Now (WOMAN) Act (H.R. 1469), E609 [27MR]

Texts of

H. Res. 230, consideration of H.R. 1000, Pension Security Act, H4035 [14MY]

H. Res. 283, consideration of H.R. 660, Small Business Health Fairness Act, H5555 [19JN]

H.R. 660, Small Business Health Fairness Act, H5598, H5605-H5612 [19JN]

H.R. 1000, Pension Security Act, H4040, H4050-H4059 [14MY]

H.R. 3108, Pension Funding Equity Act, H9251 [7OC], H9293, H9294 [8OC]

S. 486, Mental Health Equitable Treatment Act, S2972 [27FE]

S. 545, Small Business Health Fairness Act, S3256-S3263 [6MR]

S. 977, Treatment of Children's Deformities Act, S5669 [1MY]

S. 1138, Help Expand Access to Recovery and Treatment (HEART) Act, S7051-S7053 [22MY]

S. 1569, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Pilots Equitable Treatment Act, S10919 [1AU]

S. 1610, Defined Benefit Pension Plan Reform Act, S11418 [11SE]

S. 1616, prevent preemption of State community property law as it relates to nonforfeitable accrued retirement benefits, S11482 [15SE]

S. 1698, Retirement Security Advice Act, S12290-S12292 [1OC]

S. 1857, Multiemployer Pension Plan Procedural Fairness Act, S14810 [12NO]

S. 1912, Retirement Account Portability Act, S15408-S15411 [21NO]

S. 1929, extend mental health coverage parity, H12863 [8DE]

S. 1929, mental health coverage parity extension, S15481 [21NO]