Rob Andrews: “I also want to echo the comments of the chairman regarding the staff on both sides, here in the House and the other…”

“I also want to echo the comments of the chairman regarding the staff on both sides, here in the House and the other body. Staff put in innumerable hours, did very high-quality work on both sides, and we are very grateful to each of these ladies and gentlemen. I have listened to the arguments from the other side, and I certainly respect their intent, but I want to clarify the record. We have heard that the bill that is in front of us really does help the multi-employer plans, the small business plans who need help, and that it only excludes those who do not. I again state that The Segal Company, which is widely recognized as an objective and authoritative source in this field, has concluded that over the course of the next 5 years 20 percent of the multi-employer plans will experience grave trouble. As I understand their analysis of this bill, this bill will help fewer than 4 percent of those plans. So a lot of plans in distress are going to have further distress. Another argument we hear is that not that many people are really left out. My friend from Ohio talked about the relatively tiny percentage of small businesses affected by this. But it is important that we understand that these businesses employ nine and a half million people.”