Political Quotes

“Mr. President, in reserving the right to object, let me give a short explanation. The issues facing miners' pension plans are of critical importance, but I have to tell my colleagues that so are the issues that face a large number of multiemployer plans, and one of the biggest that is of concern is the Central States Pension Plan. Since last year, the Committee on Finance has been working on a bipartisan basis to address the issues that face the multiemployer system. We are nearing the completion of a comprehensive proposal that will include financial assistance to the critical and declining multiemployer pension plans and will provide long-term solvency to these plans and to the longer term solvency of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, or, as we know it around here, the PBGC. That proposal will include financial relief for miners and mining companies because the situation with the miners' pensions should be handled in the context of these broader, multiemployer plan reforms. The Senator from West Virginia is a person with whom I work very often and like personally, but I must object to this and take the course of action of dealing with this in a larger context rather than just for miners' pensions, so I object. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard. The Senator from West Virginia.”