Rep. Davids statement on the House passage of Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act

Rep. Sharice Davids issued the following statement on the House passage of Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act:

"The multiemployer pension system faces an urgent crisis. Workers and retirees in Kansas are at risk of losing their hard-earned pensions through no fault of their own – putting their families' financial security and future in jeopardy. Today, I voted to pass the bipartisan Butch Lewis Act, which would keep our pension promises and protect the retirement plans of 1.3 million Americans, thousands of whom are our friends and neighbors in the Kansas City region.

"While we always must be mindful of our nation's debt, it's wrong to balance our budget on the backs of people who've worked hard their whole lives and paid into these programs. Furthermore, the consequences of not acting now would be devastating for our entire economy, not just workers and retirees. Taxpayers, participating employers, regional economies, and communities across the country would be on the hook for hundreds of billions of dollars if Congress does not act now to protect pensions.

"That being said, my concern remains that the House continues to bring bills for a vote without finding ways to pay for them first. I hope that if this bill passes the Senate and goes to conference, Congress will do the hard work of fully-funding it."