Nadler Welcomes U.S.-Russian Talks on Expatriated Workers’ Pensions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-08) today applauded an announcement that the Social Security Administration and its partners at the State Department have scheduled a June meeting with Russian officials in Moscow to discuss the creation of a bilateral pension agreement between the two nations.

Currently, none of the 15 republics of the former Soviet Union (FSU) reliably pay pensions to expatriated retirees living in the United States. Up to 100,000 Russian seniors who gave 20-plus years to Russian and Soviet-run industries were promised pensions but have not been able to collect them.

"I am extremely pleased this long overdue meeting has finally been scheduled," said Rep. Nadler. "Russian émigrés have earned the right to receive pensions from their former governments, regardless of the fact that the Soviet Union no longer exists. I thank both the State Department and the Social Security Administration for establishing this much needed dialogue, and hope that a speedy and fair conclusion can be achieved."

Scheduled for June 4-6, the meeting is a significant milestone for an issue that Congressman Nadler first raised last year, after constituents brought this important and overlooked issue to his attention.

If the negotiations prove successful, the next step will be a formalization of Russo-American pension payouts, followed by continued talks between the United States and the other FSU republics. Ukraine, the single largest source of post-Soviet immigrants to the United States, is notably first on the list. Rep. Nadler noted there are still many issues to resolve in the talks, particularly regarding each FSU nation’s obligation to disburse pensions once paid into Soviet coffers.

Though the monetary value of the pensions is small – between $50 and $150 per month – the pensions represent an important fulfillment of duties by Soviet and post-Soviet governments to their former citizens.

"Yakov Goodman, president of the Brooklyn-based Association of New Immigrants for the State of Israel and Social Justice, has been instrumental in bringing this issue to my attention and educating the public on the importance of trans-national pension payments," Rep. Nadler added. "We hope that through these talks, Russian émigrés living in America will have the promise of their pensions fulfilled."

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