I am addressing this to all railroad workers, retirees, widows, widowers and dependents who are covered under the Railroad Retirement Act. In 2001, on the floor of the House of Representatives, then Congressman Mike Pence, R-Ind., voted against the Railroad Retirement and Survivors Improvement Act. This was the bill that provided retirement at age 60 with 30 years of service. Anyone who retired after Feb. 1, 2002, is covered under this amended law.
On Dec. 11, 2001, according to roll call No.485, there were 369 yeas, 33 nays and 31 who didn’t vote. Pence’s was a nay vote on this important legislation affecting over 1 million recipients covered under the Railroad Retirement Act. This was a bipartisan bill agreed to by management, labor, the Railroad Retirement Board and the actuaries.
Voting records are not forgotten. Does Mike Pence deserve our support? You be the judge.
Thomas J. Dwyer
Coon Rapids, Minn.
The writer is president of the National Association of Retired & Veteran Railway Employees, Inc., or NARVRE