January xx, 2004

Dear Senator/Representative _______,

As a retired airline pilot and your voting constituent, I am writing to urge your support for the passage of important pending pension legislation. I feel it is essential Congress adopt a replacement interest rate to be used in calculations of funding levels for Defined Benefit Pension Plans and approve Deficit Reduction Contribution relief. It is my understanding that these issues are going to be considered by the Senate and the House of Representatives in the early part of the upcoming session.

As you may know, Defined Benefit Pension Plans, particularly in the airline industry, are facing a severe funding crisis. This has resulted in US Airways terminating its pilots' Defined Benefit Pension Plan, raising fears that United Airlines may soon follow. This crisis is not a result of employers failing to fund their plans. Rather it was created by historically low interest rates, years of stock market declines, and unprecedented losses in the airline industry. These losses resulted from the terror attack of 9/11, high oil prices, the war in Iraq, the SARS scare and the effect of threat of future attacks on traveler’s confidence. Many of these factors are now showing signs of improving.

Passage of this legislation would allow businesses to use their limited resources to remain in business and to grow as the business climate improves without having to terminate their Defined Benefit Pension Plans. Avoiding the termination of these plans is in the best interests of the employees of U.S. businesses and the U.S. taxpayers. It would avoid placing additional burdens on the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC), which is presently facing large and increasing deficits of its own.

I urge your support for the passage of legislation that resolves these problems. Your support and that of your fellow Senators and Representatives is vitally important to many thousands of workers in the United States. I thank you for your consideration of these important matters and I look forward to hearing from you about your position on this critical legislation.

Sincerely,