Susan Davis: “After the extraordinary events of this week, I certainly had hoped that the House would move forward with a swift…”

“After the extraordinary events of this week, I certainly had hoped that the House would move forward with a swift investigation into White House dealings with Russia. But, not to be distracted, it looks like the majority would rather spend the day stripping retirement benefits from millions. We have known for a long time that workers who have access to retirement plans through their workplace are more likely to save for retirement than those who don't. It makes sense. {time} 1445 We also know that nearly half of middle class workers will fall into poverty when they retire. Last year, the State of California did a great thing. It established a program to provide 7 million Californians with the tools to save for retirement. The Secure Choice program lets workers who do not have a retirement plan through their employer contribute a share of their income to an IRA account administered by the State. Under this voluntary program-- and I stress voluntary--countless Californians will get access to tax preferred retirement accounts for the very first time. That is extraordinary. In August, the Department of Labor cleared the way for Secure Choice by ruling that States could move forward with their own programs to help workers save for retirement. Seven other States are in the process of implementing similar laws, and dozens more are considering their options.…”