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2001 SESSION

019811724
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 766
Offered January 17, 2001
Memorializing Congress to support the Railroad Retirement and Survivors Improvement Act.
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Patrons-- Diamonstein, Cranwell, Hargrove, Phillips, Rollison, Rust and Stump
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Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce
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WHEREAS, the Railroad Retirement and Survivors Improvement Act of 2000 was approved in a bipartisan effort by 391 members of the United States House of Representatives in the 106th Congress, including the Virginia congressional delegation; and

WHEREAS, more than 80 United States senators, including Senator John W. Warner and Senator Charles S. Robb, signed letters of support for this legislation in 2000; and

WHEREAS, the bill now before the 107th Congress modernizes the Railroad Retirement System for its 748,000 beneficiaries nationwide, including over 21,500 in Virginia; and

WHEREAS, railroad management, labor and retiree organizations have agreed to support this legislation; and

WHEREAS, this legislation provides tax relief to freight railroads, Amtrak and commuter lines; and

WHEREAS, this legislation provides benefit improvements for surviving spouses of rail workers who currently suffer deep cuts in income when the rail retiree dies; and

WHEREAS, no outside contributions from taxpayers are needed to implement the changes called for in this legislation; and

WHEREAS, all changes will be paid for from within the railroad industry, including a full share by active employees; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, that the Congress of the United States be urged to support the Railroad Retirement and Survivors' Improvement Act in the 107th Congress; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit copies of this resolution for presentation to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the members of the Virginia congressional delegation in order that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter.