URPBPA Legislative Alert! H.R. 2327 and S. 1158, the 6 month moratorium bills are “not moving” before the Congressional Summer Recess in August. It appears that pension reform legislation in the Senate Finance Committee is “moving” and will be voted on BEFORE the Summer Recess. This pension reform legislation is currently scheduled for introduction to the Committee next Tuesday. Committee markup is scheduled on Wednesday, July 27 and will be put up for vote by the Senate on Friday, July 29. This bill does not have a number assigned to it as yet but can be referred to as "pension funding reform legislation." The Finance Committee has the power to amend or attach items that could prevent our pensions from being terminated. Each of us MUST write each member of the Senate Finance Committee ASAP and ask that any bill coming from their committee have provisions that will save the pensions at United Airlines. Points to include in your letters: Legislation must include: a 6 month moratorium on pension terminations in bankruptcy court as spelled out in S. 1158 which includes United Airlines; OR a permanent solution to the United Airline pension crisis. • 6 month moratorium would grant United’s employees and retirees a fair opportunity to save their pensions. • There are alternatives to termination that will benefit the employees and retirees but will not harm United Airlines, i.e. Freezes and Split/Freezes. • Termination of United’s pensions will create a competitive imbalance among the legacy carriers; United, Delta, Northwest and American. • If the pension crisis is not stopped with United it will result in strategic bankruptcies by Delta, Northwest and American just to terminate their Defined Benefit Pension Plans. • If this crisis is not corrected it will spread to other industries such as the Automobile Industry. • This landslide of pension terminations will affect the National Economy, the taxes people pay and the way people vote. This could be our last effort to change legislation before the Summer Recess. It is imperative that EVERYONE writes to ALL the members of the Senate Finance Committee IMMEDIATELY. We MUST attempt to influence this legislation. PLEASE FAX AND CALL ALL MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE IMMEDIATELY! Information on Senate Committee on Finance Contact Information Majority (Republicans) Minority (Democrats) Committee Office: Dirksen Senate Office Building 219 Hart Senate Office Building 203 Committee Phone: 202-224-4515 202-224-7800 Committee FAX: 202-228-0554 202-228-3904 Committee Membership Majority Members (Republicans) Member Name DC Phone DC FAX Charles E. Grassley (R-IA) [Chairman] 202-224-3744 202-224-6020 Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT) 202-224-5251 202-224-6331 Trent Lott (R-MS) 202-224-6253 202-224-2262 Olympia Snowe (R-ME) 202-224-5344 202-224-1946 Jon Kyl (R-AZ) 202-224-4521 202-224-2207 Craig Thomas (R-WY) 202-224-6441 202-224-1724 Rick Santorum (R-PA) 202-224-6324 202-228-0604 William H. Frist (R-TN) 202-224-3344 202-228-1264 Gordon Smith (R-OR) 202-224-3753 202-228-3997 Jim Bunning (R-KY) 202-224-4343 202-228-1373 Mike Crapo (R-ID) 202-224-6142 202-228-1375 Minority Members (Democrats) Member Name DC Phone DC FAX Max Baucus (D-MT) [Ranking Member] 202-224-2651 202-224-4700 John D. Rockefeller, IV (D-WV) 202-224-6472 202-224-7665 Kent Conrad (D-ND) 202-224-2043 202-224-7776 James M. Jeffords (I-VT) 202-224-5141 202-228-0776 Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) 202-224-5521 202-224-2852 John F. Kerry (D-MA) 202-224-2742 202-224-2304 Blanche Lambert Lincoln (D-AR) 202-224-4843 202-228-1371 Ron Wyden (D-OR) 202-224-5244 202-228-2717 Charles Schumer (D-NY) 202-224-6542 202-228-3027 Your letter should be no longer than one page. Compose your letter on your computer, using your own words, print, sign and fax. (“Form” letters are usually disregarded). Then do name and fax number changes, print, sign, fax, and so on through the list of twenty. Use the above names and fax numbers as a Check List, print it out, check off names as you fax your letters. Note Minority (Democrats) and Majority (Republicans) have different office addresses. We MUST write all 20 members as soon as possible! July 20, 2005 Senator Charles Grassley, Chairman Senate Committee on Finance Dirksen Senate Office Building 219 Fax: 202-228-0554 Re: Pension Funding Reform Legislation Dear Senator Grassley, It is imperative that any legislation considered by your committee must include provisions to save the pensions at United Airlines. Please include in your legislation the provisions of S. 1158 calling for a 6 month moratorium of pension terminations in bankruptcy court OR a permanent solution to the pension crisis at United Airlines. Grant to the employees and retirees of United Airlines a fair opportunity to save their pensions. The employees of United have been treated unfairly in bankruptcy court. If United is allowed to terminate their pensions in bankruptcy court you will create a competitive imbalance among the legacy carriers, United, Delta, Northwest and American. They will be forced to resort to strategic bankruptcies in order to stay competitive by also shedding their Defined Benefit Pension Plans. There are alternatives to plan terminations that will not harm United Airlines and yet will benefit United’s employees and retirees. Minor changes in the law would allow freezing of these viable pension plans. Stop these pension takeovers by the PBGC and allow Congress TIME to find a workable solution to this crisis. Time is all we ask for now; TIME will not be a cost to the government but not taking action will cost the government dearly. The PBGC can not absorb these liabilities without asking for a taxpayer bailout. Taxpayers and voters are watching you and relying on you to protect their pensions. Respectfully, (Your signature) Your Name Address Phone Please Forward to Every Airline Employee You Know, and to any Willing Friends and Relatives! Your pension may depend on it!