Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 83, the omnibus appropriations bill for 2015. I want to commend the members of the House Appropriations Committee, all of them, especially the committee's distinguished chairman, Hal Rogers, for their hard work in writing a responsible proposal that will fund our national priorities and prevent a government shutdown. I am also pleased that the bill includes critical reforms that will help our country avert a looming pension crisis. Today, Mr. Speaker, roughly 10 million Americans participate in a multiemployer pension plan, men and women who have and continue to move our country forward: builders, truck drives, carpenters, electricians, and store clerks, to name a few. These people worked hard and earned the promise that a pension would provide financial security in retirement; yet for many, that promise is now in jeopardy. Pension plans are on the brink of bankruptcy. Employers, workers, and retirees are stretched thin, and a Federal insurance agency is on the path to insolvency. The multiemployer pension system is a ticking time bomb. When the bomb goes off, businesses will close their doors, workers will be laid off, taxpayers will be on the hook for a multibillion-dollar bailout, and retirees will have their benefits cut or wiped out entirely. A crisis is staring us in the face, and the question we have to answer is: Will we act?…”