Amending Railroad Retirement Act, Railroad Retirement Tax Act, and Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act ... Hearings ... on H.R. 7840 ... March 9, 10, 12, 16, and 17, 1954

The hearings today are on H. R. 7840, a bill to amend the Railroad Retirement Act, the Railroad Retirement Tax Act, and the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, which I introduced on February 12, 1954. Similar bills have been introduced by various members of Congress.

Approximately 60 bills to amend the Railroad Retirement Act have been introduced by Members of Congress and referred to this committee during the 83d Congress. Nearly all of these bills provide for the liberalization of qualifying conditions or benefits for annuitants, pensioners, and their survivors.

Last year this committee held hearings on H. R. 356 and 17 similar bills which provided for the repeal of the so-called dual-benefit restriction, a provision contained in the 1951 amendments to the Railroad Retirement Act. H. R. 356 was favorably reported by this committee on July 9, 1953, and it passed the House on July 24, 1953. It is now awaiting action in the Senate.

H. R. 7840, the bill before the committee today, is sponsored jointly by all of the standard railway labor organizations; and a copy of their joint letter of February 12, 1954, in support of this bill, will be made a part of the hearings at this point.

(The document is as follows:)

Hon. CHARLES A. WOLVERTON,

RAILWAY LABOR EXECUTIVES' ASSOCIATION,
Washington, D. C., February 12, 1954.

Chairman, House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee,
House Office Building,

Washington, D. C.

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is to advise that all the standard railroad labor unions, including the four train and engine service brotherhoods and all the organizations identified with the Railway Labor Executives' Association, are in full agreement and in support of the draft bill which has been delivered to your office by Messrs. Johnson and Kolanda, which would amend the railroad retirement and railroad unemployment insurance systems. For your ready reference these recognized standard railroad labor organizations are listed below:

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers; Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen a Enginemen; Order of Railway Conductors; Brotherhood of Railroad Trainme

Switchmen's Union of North America; The Order of Railroad Telegraphers; American Train Dispatchers Association; Railway Employees' Department, A. F. of L.; International Association of Machinists; International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers, and Helpers; Brotherhood Railway Carmen of America; Sheet Metal Workers International Association; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; International Brotherhood of Firemen & Oilers; Brotherhood of Railway and Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express, and Station Employes; Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes; Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen of America; National Organization Masters, Mates & Pilots of America; National Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association; International Longshoremen's Association; Hotel & Restaurant Employes and Bartenders International Union; Railroad Yardmasters of America; Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.

The above organizations represent substantially all the railroad workers in the United States. We will be very grateful to you if you will introduce this bill and do all you consistently can to expedite its prompt consideration.

Respectfully yours,

LAWRENCE V. BYRNES,

Assistant Grand Chief Engineer and National Legislative Representative,
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

A. M. LAMPLEY,

W. D. JOHNSON,

Vice President-National Legislative Representative, Brotherhood of
Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen.

Vice President and National Legislative Representative, Order of Rail-
way Conductors.

HARRY SEE,
National Legislative Representative, Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen.
A. E. LYON,

Executive Secretary, Railway Labor Executives' Association. The CHAIRMAN. I should add that nine Members of Congress have also introduced bills identical to H. R. 7840. These bills are H. R. 7869 by Mr. Staggers; H. R. 7951 by Mr. Klein; H. R. 7956 by Mr. Williams of Mississippi; H. R. 7973 by Mrs. Buchanan; H. R. 7979 by Mr. Radwan; H. R. 8016 by Mr. Bennett of Michigan; H. R. 8028 by Mr. Heller; H. R. 8085 by Mr. Mack of Illinois; and H. R. 8198 by Mrs. Sullivan.

The reports on H. R. 7840 from the executive departments and agencies will be inserted in the hearings at this point together with a copy of this bill.

(The bill and reports are as follows:)

[H. R. 7840, 83d Cong., 2d sess.]

A BILL To amend the Railroad Retirement Act, the Railroad Retirement Tax Act, and the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

PART I-AMENDMENTS TO THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT

SECTION 1. Subsection (h) of section 1 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937, as amended, is hereby amended by inserting after the end of the last sentence thereof the following: "Compensation for service as a delegate to a national or international convention of a railway labor organization defined as an 'employer' in subsection (a) of this section shall be disregarded for purposes of determining eligibility for and the amount of benefits pursuant to this Act if the individual rendering such service has not previously rendered service, other than as such a delegate, which may be included in his 'years of service.'" SEC. 2. The last paragraph of subsection (a) of section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937, as amended, is hereby amended by striking the fourth sentence thereof.

SEC. 3. Subsection (d) of section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1937, as amended, is hereby amended by adding after the end thereof the following paragraph:

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