Last week, Congress passed and the President signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, H.R. 748. This $2 trillion bill is meant to help stimulate the American economy, and weather the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With millions filing for unemployment, this couldn’t have come at a better time. TCU’s Legislative Department has been
This week, the 2019 IAM Legislative Conference was held at the Hyatt Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The conference was one of the best-attended in years, with hundreds of members, local leaders and officers packing the conference hall to hear from a long list of congressional leaders and presidential candidates. IAM International President Bob Martinez
This election is crucial for TCU/IAM members as we have a chance to elect our friends that will write critical legislation next Congress. On the ballot this November are a number of key issues for TCU/IAM members: Railroad Jobs (Clerks, Carmen, Intermodal, and others) Amtrak Jobs (Clerks, On-board Service, Carmen, and Supervisors), Long-Distance Train Service,
Today, Illinois Democrat Dan Lipinski joined with Nebraska Republican Don Bacon to lead a letter supporting additional funding to the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB). The letter had broad bipartisan support from their colleagues in Congress, including 12 Republicans and 23 Democrats. Click HERE to view read the Lipinski-Bacon letter Once secured, this funding will be
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) joined together with TTD’s Rail Labor Division (which includes TCU) in supporting increased funding for the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB). The letter was addressed to Chairman Roy Blunt and Ranking Member Patty Murray of the Senate’s Labor HHS Appropriations Subcommittee. The RRB has been woefully underfunded for years. This has
On Wednesday evening, the House of Representatives voted on various amendments to the Transportation Appropriations bill, including one from Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) to defund Amtrak. Thankfully, the amendment failed with 128 voting in favor versus 293 voting against. This vote serves as a litmus test to who is really on our side. Voting to defund
The National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) launched a new campaign – Towns Without Trains – in an effort to organize against President Trump’s plans to eliminate Amtrak’s long-distance service. On the weekend of June 23rd, the campaign aims to spur local rallies all across the country to tell Congress to keep and support Amtrak’s long-distance service. Over 220
In a recent release from the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB): Railroad retirement annuitants subject to earnings restrictions can earn more in 2017 without having their benefits reduced as a result of increases in earnings limits indexed to average national wage increases. Like social security benefits, some railroad retirement benefit payments are subject to deductions if
President Obama announced today the nomination of Thomas Kotarac to serve as Chair of the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB). Mr. Kotarac has been recently working as Deputy Director of Policy for the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). Prior to that he served as a Senior Aide to Senator Dick Durbin (IL) for eight years.
Under the Railroad Retirement Act, a “current connection with the railroad industry” is one of the eligibility requirements for occupational disability annuities and supplemental annuities, and is one of the factors that determine whether the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) or the Social Security Administration has jurisdiction over the payment of monthly benefits to survivors of
