Date: 1982-05-20
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. Presi- feel are both Ill advised and patently dent. I rise in support of the amend- unfair to the over 1 million railroad rement being offered by tne distin- tirement recipients.. guished Senator from T.nnessee. Mr. Included in these proposals are the SASSER. The resolution reported from following changes: Elimination of the the Budget Committee and endorsed July 1982 COLA. a cap on tier I and by the administration would complete- tier II COLAs for the next2 years. ly eliminate the cestofliving adjust- and freezing the appropriation level ment in pension benefits scheduled for for dualbenefit payments at $379 milrailroad retirees in July. It would cap lion which is $61 million below the full costofliving increases in 1983 and funding level. 1984 at 4 percent. no matter how the The amendment .1 rise in support of inflation rate might grow. The resolu- today would revise these proposals by tion would make these changes. to restoring the 1982 COLA. adjusting reduce the KempRoth budget gap. future COLAs to the consumer price I think most Americans are willing index. and reestablishing the dualto suffer a little hardshipas long as benefit portion of the railroad retireit is fairly evenly distributedin order ment system to its full $440 million apto help reduce the budget deficits propriation level. facing us. However. the COLA freeze In addition. this amendment makes proposed in this resolution is grossly the assumption that all railroad retireunfair. and this is exactly how the ment field offices. including the cenpublic does not want us to reduce the tral office located in Chicago. will be deficit. General revenues do not fi- maintained at their current funding nance railroad retirement costof- level. living adjustments. Cutting benefits in Mr. President. I believe that it Is selffunded pension systems clearly is only fair that we live up to our h&hori. not the path Congress should follow in Cal commitment to railroad retirement attempting to hold down general reve- pensioners and. therefore. urge my nue budget deficits. Yet. that is exact- colleagues to join me In support of ly what this resolution proposes to do. this amendment. The Sasser amendment would re- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who store the scheduled July increase in yields time? railroad retirement benefits and main- Mr. ARMSTRONG. Mr. President. I tain future COLAs according to cur- am happy to yield to the Senator from rent law indexing. It would also provide for full funding of the socalled dualbenefit .component of the retire- Mr. JEPSEN. Mr. President. I have ment program. This is the only por- an amendment to the amendment by tion of the retirement program fi. the Senator from Tennessee and I nanced by general revenue. they only send It to the desk. go to a limited group of railroad retir- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The ees to whom they were promised when Chair would advise the Senator that Congress eliminated their social secu- the amendment is not in order until rity coverage. all has expired on this amendment. When Congress rewrote the railroad Mr. JEPSEN. Mr. President. would I compensation law in 1974. it made a be In order to talk about my amendcommitment to protect individuals al- ment at this time before I offer it? ready entitled to both railroad and The PRESIDING OFFICER. The social security retirement benefits. Senator Is correct. The Senate considered the question of Mr. JEPSEN. Mr. President. I full dualbenefit funding last session admire the intention of the distinduring the appropriations process. We guished Senator from Tennessee and I determined then that we should not share his concern for the retired railrenege on pledges of pension income road workers. My vote Is a matter of_ to elderly Americans. record of support in past years at times that this issue has been brought up. However. as we all know. these are difficult times for the budget. Therefore. I am offering a substitute amendment which will provide full funding for the dual benefits which retirees have earned. I think that whether we have a COLA and the other benefits that are recommended by the distinguished Senator from Tennessee. it is a matter parallel to other things that is being indicated hereit is arbitrary. it is judgment. it is opinion. and we are thrashing and hashing these things out. However. the dual benefits are something that. in my opinion. have been promised by Congress. They were promised in 1974. It is morally wrong. it is wrong no matter how you look at it. for us to take those away. Therefore. the amendment that I am offering will add $51 million in fiscal year 1983. $41 million in 1984. and $26 million In 1985 to bring the benefits back to the full funding level. Clearly. I think we have an obligation to continue the funding for these benefits because the Congress promised in 1974. when the Congress passed legislation eliminating dual benefits for future retirees. it promised that those entitled to benefits as of 1975 would recieve them. These funds were to come from annual appropriations from the general revenues until the year 2000. I strongly feel it Is incumbent upon the Congress to continue to act in good faith by authorizing and appropriating the necessary funds for these benefits. To do utherwise would break faith with the American people and. would damage our credibility with them. For that reason. I am offering this amendment. I hope that it Is ready. Wi4 the clerk please read the amendment?