Committee Statements

We are confronted today with two difficult realities. The first is the financial challenges facing the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. For more than 35 years, PBGC has provided an important safety net to millions of workers in the event a defined benefit pension plan becomes insolvent or terminated. The sheer size of the corporation’s responsibilities are quite remarkable, and they continue to grow.

In 2011, PBGC paid benefits to more than 819,000 retirees at a cost of $5.3 billion. At the same time, PBGC assumed responsibility for 152 terminated plans, increasing its obligations to more than 4,300 plans. While the number may pale in comparison to other federal programs like Social Security and Medicare, PBGC still provides a federal backstop for the defined benefit pension plans of roughly 43 million individuals.

Unfortunately, PBGC reports a deficit of $26 billion – and we learned just this week that the burden on PBGC will continue to grow in the months ahead. The events surrounding American Airlines’ bankruptcy and its resultant decision to terminate the pension plans of 130,000 workers are deeply troubling. Hostess Brands and Eastman Kodak are also in the process of bankruptcy, and we await word on whether they too will fail to meet their pension obligations.

The decision to declare bankruptcy and terminate a pension plan can involve more than a company’s balance sheets and actuarial projections. It can also involve broken promises and the additional struggle workers will face to achieve financial security during their retirement years. Employers have a responsibility to do everything they can to meet their commitments, and help ensure the loss of a job is not exacerbated by the loss of retirement benefits.

This leads us to the second, more difficult reality we must confront: the state of the economy. Far too many employers are operating on thin margins where an unexpected burden can destroy their businesses. We all want to see the finances at PBGC strengthened. However, we must closely examine and fully understand the unintended consequences of our policy decisions.

Excessive increases in premiums and unpredictable costs of defined benefits plans will have a direct impact on employers and job creation. At the same time, if we do not act appropriately we will undermine the financial standing of PBGC and its ability to serve retirees. Congress must remain engaged, and that is why I am concerned about surrendering some of our authority in this area. The oversight and guidance of this committee should continue to play an important role in this debate.

As we move forward, our task is a difficult one: Find a solution that can strengthen PBGC without harming job creation or discouraging participation in our voluntary pension system. There will be no easy answers. However, I am confident that by working together, we can find a responsible solution that protects the interests of employers, workers, retirees, and taxpayers.

Before I close, Director Gotbaum, let me add my voice to those who have raised concerns with mismanagement of certain pension plans by PBGC. The workers who receive benefits through the corporation are already coping with the devastating ordeal of an employer going out of business or choosing to sever ties with their workers’ pension plan. It is deeply unfortunate when this difficulty is compounded by poor management at PBGC. Recent reports by PBGC’s Inspector General that retirees may not have received proper benefits are disturbing, and I hope you can provide assurances to this committee – and the nation’s workers – that you are implementing a plan to fix these mistakes and prevent them from happening again. We stand ready to assist you in any way we can.