{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=BAB36A88-C5E2-4D4B-8060-3BE50E6D8B92", "Heitkamp Submits Thousands of Stories from Workers & Retirees Impacted by Multiemployer Pension Crisis to Congressional Pension Committee", "2018-09-26", "2018", "2018-09", "Democrat", "House", "ND", "Heidi Heitkamp", "H001069", "www.heitkamp.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator is Encouraging Workers, Retirees, & Employers to Submit their Stories to the Committee via Email until September 30 \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C.  U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp a member of the bipartisan Joint Select Committee tasked with solving the nationwide multiemployer pension plan crisis today submitted thousands of personal stories penned by workers and retirees whose families would be devastated by the sudden loss or reduction of their pensions.The submission includes 115 stories from North Dakotans.\r\nThese letters build on Heitkamp's efforts to share the stories of North Dakotans who could face financial ruin due to the collapse of their pension funds including over 2,000 North Dakotans who paid into the Central States Pension Fund. In July, Heitkamp hosted a video livestream on Facebook featuring workers, retirees, and their representatives in Congress sharing stories about how the nationwide pension crisis is currently impacting them. Click here to watch the full stream. Heitkamp also hosted livestreams with pensioners in Bismarck and Fargo in September.\r\nWithout action from Congress, a total of 1.5 million retirees nationwide who are part of various pension funds could see their retirement savings drastically cut. To gather input about the potential challenges faced by retirees and to help craft a legislative solution to the pension crisis, the Committee has been gathering feedback from workers, retirees, and employers through an email inbox. Heitkamp is encouraging all impacted workers, retirees, and business who have not already sent their stories and suggestions to email JSCSMPP@finance.senate.gov by September 30, 2018.\r\nThe personal stories we submitted today are powerful. They're stories shared by men and women across the country who worked hard for decades, often in physically demanding jobs, and played by the rules to provide for the long-term futures of their families. Even though they were responsible and saved for retirement, they're finding themselves stiffed through no fault of their own. It's just wrong, said Heitkamp. The members on the Committee need to hear these stories. The government managed to bail out Wall Street when times were tough, but it's now dangerously close to shirking its commitment to look out for workers when they need it most. These workers deserve every ounce of help we can give them, and I'll keep fighting for a bipartisan solution to this mess.\r\nClick here to read stories submitted by over 100 North Dakota workers, retirees, and their families impacted by the pension crisis.\r\nA recent analysis from the American Enterprise Institute found that the collapse of the Central States Pension Fund just one of the pension funds in distress around the country would cause serious harm to the nationwide economy. The analysis concluded that the fund's collapse would lead to the loss of nearly 300 jobs in North Dakota, as well as more than 55,000 jobs lost across the country by 2025. The study also found that GDP would decline by more than $5 billion. Click here to read the full report.\r\nThis pension is my main income, and losing it would cause me to have to sell my home. I have had several back surgeries from the work I was doing, and it would be hard for me to find employment with my medical record, Larry Schaff, retired UPS driver, Mandan, North Dakota. This pension is something I worked very hard for, and losing it would be devastating to my family. This pension loss would not only affect the pensioners, but it would cost the government millions or even billions for the people it pushes into financial uncertainty.\r\nMy husband, Quinten, lost his life four years ago at the young age of 49 after a short battle with cancer. Knowing he was the main income provider, he feared I would struggle without him. As scared as I was, I assured him the kids and I would be okay, said Annette Hausauer, Mandan, North Dakota. One thing that brought him peace of mind was that he had 20 years vested in a pensionand that one day I would be able to draw my portion. I'm encouraging members of Congress to fight for the rights of all pension recipients especially those who can no longer fight for themselves. I'd also like to thank Senator Heitkamp for helping write and introduce the Butch Lewis Act and for raising awareness about this very important issue.\r\nLoss or reduction of my pension would harm my family, because I worked 30-plus years waiting to retire. I missed many of my children's games and school programs while I was employed, said Ed Seeberg, retired UPS driver, Bismarck. \"The loss of my pension which I worked decades for would mean I would have to find a low-paying job because of my age to make ends meetand perhaps my wife would also. Then, we would also miss our grandchildren's programs and games. We need our pension. We earned our pension.\r\nLosing my pension would mean that I would have to look at going into the full-time workforce, despite that I retired after decades of labor intensive work. That being saidwhat employer is going to consider hiring a person in his mid-seventies or eighties? I don't believe my body could take the vigor of a full-time job again, especially since I'm having some lower-back issues and looking at knee replacements, said Gary Gravseth, retired freight truck driver, Burlington. I did my very best while in the freight business to work hard to be able to retire, draw a full pension, and enjoy my golden years. I would have to make some very life altering changes if this problem is not addressed, and I cannot stress enough the importance of the Butch Lewis Act.\r\nTo prevent a major economic burden on workers, retirees, and American taxpayers, Heitkamp also stressed the need for Congress to work to find a legislative fix to the growing pension problem, such as through her Butch Lewis Act which Heitkamp helped write and introduce last November. The Select Committee will provide a process for Congress to consider this bill and work toward a bipartisan solution that can solve the pension crisis.\r\nThe Joint Select Committee will provide a process for Congress to consider Heitkamp's bill and work toward a bipartisan solution that can solve the pension crisis. The Butch Lewis Act would:\r\n \r\nProvide financing to put failing pension plans back on solid ground to ensure they can meet their commitments to retirees today and workers for decades to come.\r\nPrevent a single dollar of cuts to benefits retirees have earned.\r\nPut safeguards in place so pension plans remain strong so they will be there for today's workers when they retire\r\n \r\nSpecifically, the bill would allow the Treasury Department to loan money, leveraged by safe investments, to pension plans to ensure that retirees and their families are guaranteed their promised benefits. Click hereto read Heitkamp's recent op-ed on the pension crisis, her goals for the bipartisan committee, and theButch Lewis Act.\r\nIn May 2018, Heitkamp spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate to share several stories from these impacted North Dakotans. Click here to watch the full video of Heitkamp's speech.\r\nBackground\r\nFor years, Heitkamp has stood with North Dakota's workers and retirees and fought to safeguard their retirement savings, and she has specifically fought to protect those who are part of the Central States Pension Fund from harsh cuts. Heitkampspoke on the floor of the U.S. Senatein 2016 to push the U.S. Treasury Department to reject the proposed harsh cuts, and joined retirees and workers at arally in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.in 2016 to push back against cuts.\r\nIn 2016, those workers and retirees faced pension cuts of up to 60 percent under a plan to restructure the multiemployer pension plan, which is no longer solvent.Afterpressure from Heitkamp and workers across the country, Kenneth Feinberg the then-Treasury official overseeing the restructuring of the pension plan announced that theU.S. Department of the Treasuryrejected the proposed cuts, saying they were unfair for workers and retirees who would be impacted.\r\n###", 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://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=BAB36A88-C5E2-4D4B-8060-3BE50E6D8B92"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.8830238841474056, "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"}