THANKS TO MY FRIENDS FROM WEST VIRGINIA AND INDIANA, AND THANK YOU, SENATOR DONNELLY, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN BRINGING US TOGETHER TODAY. MINNESOTA, LIKE INDIANA, HAS SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE CENTRAL STATE'S PENSION PLAN, AND LIKE SENATOR DONNELLY, I BELIEVE THAT PROMISES MADE SHOULD BE PROMISES KEPT. OVER TEN MILLION AMERICANS PARTICIPATE IN A MULTIEMPLOYER PENSION PLAN FOR A SAFE AND SECURE RETIREMENT. THE CENTRAL STATE'S PENSION PLAN ESTABLISHED IN 1955 TO HELP TRUCKERS SAVE FOR RETIREMENT. AND AS SENATOR DONNELLY KNOWS, COMING FROM INDIANA, A STATE WITH A LOT OF PROUD TRUCKERS. TODAY THE CENTRAL STATE'S PENSION PLAN INCLUDES FROM THE CAR HAUL, TANK HAUL, CONSTRUCTION, CLERICAL, FOOD PROCESSING, DAIRY AND TRUCKING INDUSTRIES. I HEARD FROM PEOPLE ALL OVER MY STATE. FRED FROM HIBBING WORKED FOR 33 YEARS AS A BREAD MAN AND SERVES AS A CAREGIVER FOR HIS WIFE. DANIEL FROM ST. MICHAEL WORKED OVER 41 YEARS AS A MECHANIC. IF HE WERE TO FACE A REDUCTION IN HIS PENSION, HE WOULD LIKELY BE FORCED TO SELL THE HOUSE HE HAS LIVED IN SINCE 1973. SUE FROM ELK RIVER WROTE ABOUT HER HUSBAND JIM WHO RETIRED IN 1998 AND PASSED AWAY IN 2013. JIM LEFT A PENSION THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF HER FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE. SUE WROTE THAT JIM LOSING HIS LIFE WAS DEVASTATING ENOUGH BUT NOW BEING A WOMAN IN HER 70 SHE CAN BARELY MAKE ENDS MEET. THESE ARE A FEW MUCH OF EXAMPLES. UNLESS CONGRESS ACTS, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE CENTRAL STATE PENSION PLAN FACE THE REALITY THAT THEIR HARD-EARNED PENSIONS COULD BE REFUSED. MANY OF THESE ARE FROM THE MIDWEST, THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED THE CENTRAL STATES MENTION PLAN. WE NEED TO FIND A WORKABLE SOLUTION FOR MULTIWORKER PENSION PLANGS. I NOAL SENATOR BROWN IS LEADING A GROUP THAT IS WORKING ON THAT, THE JOINT COMMITTEE WORKING TOGETHER TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT THEY CAN PRESENT TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. WE ALL KNOW THAT DELAY ONLY MAKES THE SOLUTION MORE COSTLY. THE TIME IS HERE. IT'S ARRIVED. WE CAN'T PUT IT OFF ANYMORE. WE MUST MOVE FORWARD NOW TO GET THIS DONE. THANK YOU, SENATOR DONNELLY, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
