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[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 80 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 80

Urging that the railroad industry, including rail labor, management and 
   retiree organizations, open discussions for adequately funding an 
    amendment to the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 to modify the 
guaranteed minimum benefit for widows and widowers whose annuities are 
         converted from a spouse to a widow or widower annuity.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 5, 1998

Ms. Moseley-Braun submitted the following concurrent resolution; which 
       was referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
Urging that the railroad industry, including rail labor, management and 
   retiree organizations, open discussions for adequately funding an 
    amendment to the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 to modify the 
guaranteed minimum benefit for widows and widowers whose annuities are 
         converted from a spouse to a widow or widower annuity.

Whereas for years, many in the railroad industry have argued that annuities paid 
        to widows and widowers under the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 are 
        inadequate;
Whereas during the lifetime of the employee and the spouse, the employee 
        receives a full annuity and so does the spouse;
Whereas after the employee's death, however, only a widow's or widower's annuity 
        is payable, which under current law is less than that widow or widower 
        received as a spouse in the month before the employee's death;
Whereas this widow's or widower's annuity is often found inadequate and leaves 
        the survivor with less than the amount of income needed to meet ordinary 
        and necessary living expenses; and
Whereas no outside contributions from the American taxpayer are needed, and any 
        changes will be paid for from within the railroad industry itself: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That--
            (1) Congress recognizes the concern of many in the railroad 
        industry that the widow's and widower's annuity under the 
        current system is inadequate and often leaves the survivor with 
        less than the amount of income needed to meet ordinary and 
        necessary living expenses;
            (2) Congress also recognizes that a process of dialogue 
        must take place among all parties of the railroad community 
        including rail labor, management, and retiree organizations 
        before railroad annuity legislation can be enacted; and
            (3) because of the self-sufficient and unique nature of the 
        Railroad Retirement System, Congress urges and exhorts all 
        parties of the railroad community, including rail labor, 
        management, and retiree organizations to find a suitable way to 
        fund an amendment that would improve the survivor benefits 
        component to the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974.
                                 <all>
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