| WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) called on President Clinton
to make the enactment of the Railroad Retirement and Survivors’ Improvement
Act of 2000, H.R. 4844, one of his priorities before Congress adjourns.
Schakowsky said that the legislation would help retirees in Illinois and
improve financial security for hundreds of thousands of senior citizens
and their families across the country.
In
a letter to the President, Schakowsky wrote that H.R. 4844, “{i}s critical
for the 748,000 beneficiaries and the surviving spouses of rail workers
across the nation who need the much needed benefit improvements it would
provide. Its passage will prevent harsh cuts in survivors’ benefits,
allow workers with thirty years of service to retire at age 60 with full
benefits, and strengthen the financial viability of the program.”
She
added, “I hope that you encourage Senate Majority Leader Lott to act
and that you will make enactment of the Railroad Retirement and Survivors’
Improvement Act one of your priorities. It would be a shame if we
were to adjourn the 106th Congress without giving you the opportunity to
sign H.R. 4844 into law.”
The
House passed H.R. 4844 by a margin of 391 to 25 but the full Senate has
yet to act. |
