{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://nolan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/nolan-calls-on-congressional-leadership-to-find-immediate-fix-to-pension", "Nolan Calls on Congressional Leadership to Find Immediate Fix to Pension Crisis  In End-of-Year Budget Meeting with President Trump", "2017-12-06", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "MN", "Rick Nolan", "N000127", "nolan.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "[WASHINGTON D.C.] Rep Rick Nolan today called on Congressional leadership to find an immediate fix to the pension crisis as part of the end-of-year budget negotiations with President Trump. In his letter, Rep. Nolan pressed for solutions such as the President establishing a Pension Rehabilitation Administration within the Treasury Department that would help retirees received their full hard-earned pension benefits.\n\u00a0\n\u201cThe bottom line is, we must not gut the pensions of the hardworking people in this country who contributed to \u2013 and earned \u2013 every penny of their pensions,\u201d Nolan wrote. \u201cI urge you to discuss pragmatic, fair-minded solutions to fix the pension crisis that do not force retirees to bear the burden of the pension deficit.\u201d\n\u00a0\nRep. Nolan\u2019s letter urges Congressional leadership to make the right decision to prioritize the retirees\u2019 pension funds, and not repeat the mistake made in past budget negotiations of gutting retirees\u2019 earned pension benefits. In 2014, the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014, an 11th-hour, last-ditch provision to the omnibus spending bill, gave the Treasury Department the ability to gut promised pension benefits for retirees. Rep. Nolan voted against this legislation in 2014 and urged Congressional leadership to find a new solution that protects retirees and their hard-earned pensions.\n\u00a0\nIn addition to calling for a fix to the pension crisis, Rep. Nolan\u2019s letter also called for strong investments in domestic human development, public health, and infrastructure in the upcoming budget.\n\u00a0\nThe full letter is copied below.\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nDear Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Speaker Ryan, and Leader Pelosi:\n\u00a0\nI urge you to press for an immediate fix to America\u2019s pension crisis in your planned bipartisan, bicameral FY2018 budget meeting with President Trump tomorrow. This issue is a key priority both to my constituents in Minnesota\u2019s 8th Congressional District and to hardworking Americans across the country.\n\u00a0\nThere are a number of proposals on the table that would help prevent the insolvency of a number of troubled pension plans and the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation itself. One such plan myself and others have offered would create a Pension Rehabilitation Administration within the Treasury Department to ensure no pensioners get their benefits cut.\n\u00a0\nIt is imperative that the severity of the pensions crisis and potential solutions to it are discussed at the Thursday meeting with the President. The bottom line is, we must not gut the pensions of the hardworking people in this country who contributed to \u2013 and earned \u2013 every penny of their pensions. This message must be conveyed to the President to safeguard against any last-minute legislative efforts to make drastic cuts to pension funds.\u00a0\n\u00a0\nUnfortunately, there is a precedent for budget negotiations that take the wrong approach. The Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014 \u2013 which I voted against \u2013 was a last-ditch, 11th hour provision to the omnibus spending bill gave the Treasury Department the ability to gut promised pension benefits for retirees. This outcome must not be repeated. On Thursday, I urge you to discuss pragmatic, fair-minded solutions to fix the pension crisis that do not force retirees to bear the burden of the pension deficit.\n\u00a0\nIn addition to pension solutions, American citizens also deserve a deal that ensures strong investment in domestic human development, public health, and infrastructure. Specifically, these additional budget priorities include robust funding for our nation\u2019s crumbling roads, bridges, and water treatment facilities; protection for the healthcare services offered by Planned Parenthood, CHIP, and our Community Health Centers; the safeguarding of our precious air and water; and the sustained investment in our youth, arts and humanities. A solution for DREAMers is also imperative.\n\u00a0\nI respectfully urge you to take these views into your negotiations with the President and raise the pension issue directly with him. Americans are entitled to the pensions they\u2019ve earned over a lifetime of hard work \u2013 and Congress must do its part to keep this promise to them. Thank you for your time and consideration.\n\u00a0\nSincerely,", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://nolan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/nolan-calls-on-congressional-leadership-to-find-immediate-fix-to-pension"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4937929809093475, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}