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NYSNA Pension Members: Contact your representative TODAY!

Critical pension relief language vote scheduled for week of may 23!

Find your Congressional Representative HERE… @ Congress.org!

UPDATE, 21 MAY: In a May 20 Press Release, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer made the following statement regarding the Floor schedule for the U.S. House of Representatives: “The American Jobs, Closing Tax Loopholes and Preventing Outsourcing Act (HR 4213) will come to the House Floor for a vote next week, and there will be no votes in the House tomorrow. Members will have ample time to review this bill, which will create and save jobs, provide tax relief to the middle class, close tax loopholes, and prevent corporations from shipping jobs overseas. Republicans have voted against every job creation measure put forward so far, but I hope they change course and join with us as we fight for America’s middle class.”

NYSNA understands that pension relief language in the House version of this tax extenders bill is finalized and will go to the floor for a vote on the next week (MAY 23.) A broad coalition of pension plans has worked for months to receive the most favorable language possible for these plans.

Now is the time to call, fax and e-mail your members of Congress and demand the passage of this bill.

Talking Points: HR 4213

It provides limited, targeted relief to help all pension plans – corporate and multiemployer plans - weather the massive losses suffered in 2008's economic crisis.
It is not a “bailout”- on the contrary, it provides more time to plan sponsors to meet funding obligations.
More than 90% of contributing employers to multi-employer plans are small businesses who provide well paying, middle class jobs with pension and health benefits – the kind of jobs that must be preserved if our economy is to recover.
Before the 2008 recession, multi-employer plans were, on average more than 90% funded.
Relief measures included reduce the risk to all stakeholders – by enabling employers to remain competitive and generate hours of contributions that fund the plans.
In the absence of this relief, Boards of Trustees’ must adopt funding improvement and rehabilitation plans that are being incorporated into collective bargaining agreements being negotiated every day.
These plans must meet funding targets that include unnecessarily high contribution rates and deeper than necessary benefit cuts that cannot be restored under current law - all of which could be avoided with this relief.

There can be no further delays! HR 4213 must be passed now!

Contact your members of Congress before Thursday’s vote and urge them to support HR 4213. Make your calls today, and tell your colleagues, members, and others who have a stake in securing the jobs and retirement security of the millions of Americans covered by multiemployer defined benefit pension plans to call as well. Speak with one, clear voice and pass HR 4213 NOW!

The New York State Nurses Association is the voice for nursing in the Empire State. With more than 37,000 members, it is the state's largest professional association and largest union for registered nurses. It supports nurses and nursing practice through education, research, legislative advocacy, and collective bargaining.