"Our nation's senior population is growing and we have new and improved medical technologies to help us live longer and better.  The over 13,000 retirees who served in the Oak Ridge facilities should be honored and cared for in their golden years.  A portion of these retirees and surviving spouses are living on pensions that barely pay for their medical premiums.  I have been working with the Coalition of Oak Ridge Retired Employees (CORRE) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the past year to specifically help this group of retirees.  Some of these seniors only bring home around $150 a month from their pensions, which are wiped out by medical premiums alone.  This is unacceptable and a change was needed."

"I am happy to say that with strong support from our contractors, DOE-Oak Ridge Operations, and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a minimum monthly pension has now been approved.  In the near future, all retirees will receive $600 a month from their pension and surviving spouses will receive at least $400."

"As the market has changed, the overall pension fund for the Oak Ridge workers has fluctuated, but it is certainly healthy enough to absorb the amount needed to help this group of deserving retirees."