Supporting Rail Workers

Floor Speech

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Ms. ELFRETH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today supporting Congressmen Deluzio and Nehls' bipartisan Railroad Retirement Fairness Act.

This legislation eliminates outdated provisions of Federal law that unfairly reduce railroad retirement payments for certain retirees and spouses who continue to work in non-railroad jobs after retirement.

This is really important because we shouldn't be penalizing rail workers who choose to or sometimes have to continue working after retirement.

Mr. Speaker, this is also a deeply personal issue for me. My father was a proud member of BLET Local 71 out of Philadelphia and drove trains for SEPTA for decades. He provided for our family, working mostly nights and weekends, and now relies on that hard-earned railroad retirement.

I know firsthand the long hours and grit these jobs take from both railroad workers and their families, which is why I support this legislation to level the playing field and ensure hardworking rail workers keep their rightfully earned retirement benefits.

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