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Your future is in your hands!

The future of the Railroad Retirement System is in your hands.

Printed below is a sample letter that you may use when writing your senator. Take a minute to write to your U.S. senator to urge his or her support for the Railroad Retirement Survivors' Act of 2000. Remember to include your name, address and telephone number.

This legislation, if passed, will strengthen and improve the benefits provided by the Railroad Retirement System to you and your family.

Lawmakers want, and need, to hear your opinions if they are to effectively serve as your elected representative. Please, let them know how you feel on this very important issue. Take a minute and write to your senator.

Here is a sample letter:
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The Honorable _________________________
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator ___________________________:

I am writing to seek your support for the "Railroad Retirement and Survivor's Improvement Act of 2000," recently passed by the House of Representatives as H.R. 4844.

This historic legislation represents the first time in 25 years that labor, management and retirees have agreed on a set of changes to benefit those who rely on the Railroad Retirement System for a secure retirement.

A major coalition of 13 rail unions and rail retiree organizations representing more than three million members has recently reached an historic agreement with the railroads represented by the National Carriers' Conference Committee to secure the following improvements detailed in H.R. 4844:

-- An expansion of surviving spouse benefits;

-- Unreduced retirement benefits at age 60 with 30 years of service;

-- A retiree health insurance plan at age 60, with increases in the lifetime benefit maximum indexed to the medical inflation rate;

-- A guarantee that the railroads will ensure the future solvency of the fund by absorbing any necessary future tax increases;

-- A repeal of caps on Railroad Retirement benefits for long-term employees; and

-- Five-year vesting.

In the wake of this historic agreement between labor and the railroads, and with the stability of the Railroad Retirement System guaranteed, I believe the time has come to make those changes which are long overdue and will benefit generations to come.

I hope I can count on your support of the "Railroad Retirement and Survivor's Improvement Act of 2000" when this legislation is introduced in the Senate, and I look forward to hearing from you regarding your position on this important matter.

Sincerely yours,

(your signature and address)

Click here to find your senators' online contact information