The Butch Lewis Act of 2017 is proposed legislation that would provide a path to fixing the country’s growing pension crisis by providing the financial support that pension plans need to avoid insolvency.

Earlier this week, Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.) joined Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to announce his co-sponsorship of the Act.

“This legislation is too important to be delayed by partisan politics,” said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. “The pension crisis must be addressed now, and the Butch Lewis Act is the best option. We must protect the retirement security of hundreds of thousands of active and retired workers across the country.”

The Act was introduced by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) on November 16 last year and is named after the former Teamsters Local 100 President who passed away in late 2015 fighting to prevent cuts to the Central States Pension Fund.

Original cosponsors of the Butch Lewis Act include Illinois Senators Tammy Duckworth and Richard J. Durbin and Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly.

Teamsters are encouraged to support this Act. Contact your representatives, sign or start a petition, and take the time to read the Act and share information with your fellow Teamsters.

Teamsters Local 710 represents more than 12,500 members across the entire Midwest and is an affiliate of Teamsters Joint Council 25, America’s premier labor union for Chicago, Illinois and Northwest Indiana.

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