Political Quotes

“if you sat down this morning to design a system that would offer American workers the most secure retirement possible, where would you start? If you are starting from scratch, what principles would guide you? Here are a few I think you might begin with. First, you want to encourage companies to offer secure retirement benefits. That is obvious. Second, you want to ensure that companies keep their promises to their employees and retirees. That ought to be at the top of the list. Third, don't create circumstances under which employers decide they can't afford to keep offering decent retirement benefits without becoming uncompetitive as a business or insolvent. That is pretty sensible. Fourth, treat all the companies in an industry equally so as not to pick the winners and losers. Don't tip the scales. There are many other goals you might set out to achieve. Of course, we are not starting from scratch this morning, and this is not primarily a pensions bill, it is a reauthorization bill for the Federal Aviation Administration. But the substitute amendment we are now considering contains one pension provision that I think violates the principles I just laid out. That is why I am offering an amendment with Senator Hutchison of Texas, with a lengthy list of bipartisan cosponsors, to strike that provision of the bill.”