Congress Passes, President Signs Bill to Protect Worker Pension Benefits
On July 28, 2006, the House of Representatives by a vote of 279 to 131 passed legislation (H.R. 4) aimed at shoring up traditional worker pension plans. Congressman Todd Platts voted in favor of this legislation.
The federal government through the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC) partially insures so-called "defined-benefit" pension plans, but the PBGC is currently running a $22 billion deficit. In order to both better guarantee workers' hard earned pensions as well as reduce the risk to taxpayers, H.R. 4 will require most employers to fully fund their pension obligations within seven years, as well as adjust the formulas used to determine if a plan is under-funded and charge an additional premium for employers who default on a plan. Other provisions in H.R. 4 would make it easier for workers to plan for their retirement and participate in "defined-contribution" pensions like 401(k) plans.
H.R. 4 is the first comprehensive reform of pension law in 30 years. Bipartisan supporters of the bill argued that it was essential to protecting the pension benefits of 44 million Americans. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 93 to 5 on August 3, 2005, and President George W. Bush signed the measure into law on August 17, 2005.
House Passes Compromise on the Death Tax, Minimum Wage
On July 29, 2006, the House voted 230 to 180 to pass compromise legislation (H.R. 5970) aimed at enacting a permanent fix to the death tax. A temporary compromise to alleviate the burden of the death tax on farmers and small business owners was reached in 2001, but this compromise is set to expire in 2011.
H.R. 5970 would enact a permanent compromise by exempting smaller estates and taxing most other estates at the same rate as capital gains. The measure also contained an increase in the minimum wage over three years from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour.
Congressman Platts voted in favor of H.R. 5970. While the measure subsequently received a majority of votes in the Senate (56 total), this was not sufficient to overcome a filibuster (which requires 60 votes).
Web Page Highlights (www.house.gov/platts)
Summer 2006 Newsletter
The Summer 2006 Newsletter for Congressman Platts is available in the "Quick Links" box of the web site. Articles include a discussion of legislation recently passed to prevent crimes against children (including the "Deleting Online Predators Act"), Congressman Platts' views regarding a recent Senate immigration bill, and a statement on Congressman Platts' reasons for voting to override a Presidential veto on stem cell research.
(http://www.house.gov/platts/index.shtml)
Strengthening the Freedom of Information Act
The Subcommittee on Government Management, which is chaired by Congressman Platts, held a hearing on the Freedom of Information Act on July 26, 2006. A copy of the Congressman's opening remarks can be found on the web site.
(http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/pa19_platts/FOIA2.html)
The Month in Review
The following is a list of some other key votes taken by the United States House of Representatives during the month of July of 2006:
Voting Rights Act Reauthorization (H.R. 9)
The House voted 390-33 to reauthorize for another 25 years the federal civil rights law that was enacted to guarantee the right-to-vote. Congressman Platts voted in favor of H.R. 9. The Senate subsequently passed the measure by a vote of 98-0, and the President signed it into law on July 27, 2006.
Multilingual Ballots (H. Amdt. 1185)
The House voted 238-185 to reject an amendment to remove from H.R. 9 (above) a requirement that certain jurisdictions print multilingual ballots. Supporters of the amendment argued that multilingual ballots should be unnecessary since some fluency in English is expected of all new citizens. Congressman Platts voted in favor of H. Amdt. 1185 and therefore against requiring multilingual ballots.
Alternative Fuel Availability (H.R. 5534)
The House voted 188-9 to pass legislation which would use fines imposed on the auto industry for failing to meet fuel efficiency targets for a new grant program. The new program would provide funds to expand the infrastructure necessary to make alternative fuels more widely available to consumers. Congressman Platts voted in favor of H.R. 5534.
21st Century Emergency Communications (H.R. 5852)
The House voted 414-2 to pass legislation establishing a new Office of Emergency Communications in the Department of Homeland Security charged with increasing the interoperability of communications systems at the federal, state, and local government levels. Congressman Platts voted in favor of this legislation.
Health Information Technology Promotion (H.R. 4157)
The House voted 270-148 to pass legislation intended to increase the use of electronic medical records in doctor's offices and hospitals as a way to reduce health care inflation. The bill sets targets for the issuance of interoperability guidelines and authorizes grants to medical providers that use information technology to better serve uninsured, underinsured, and medically underserved individuals. Congressman Platts voted in favor of this legislation.
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