Description: January 5, 2001 Railroad Retirement Update

On January 3, 2001 Rep. Bud Shuster (R-PA) introduced HR 180 which is identical to HR 4844, the retirement legislation originally supported by the railroads and the rail unions except for the BMWE and the BLE. Despite the fact that HR 4844 passed by a vote of 391 to 25 in the House on September 7 and 83 Senators signed a letter of support, a handful of conservative Republicans — Senators Phil Gramm (TX), Don Nickles (OK) and Pete Domenici (NM) — killed the bill in the 106th Congress at the end of last year.

The carriers have agreed to extend the agreement reached in September of last year with the BMWE which guarantees BMWE members the same post-retirement medical benefits as members of the other crafts would receive in the event the bill passes in return for the BMWE not opposing the legislation in the new 107th Congress. A final written agreement will be completed in the very near future.