Congressional Record, House of Representatives, June 14, 2022: Vol. 168, No. 101
Summary
House of Representatives proceedings from the Congressional Record for Tuesday, June 14, 2022, Volume 168, No. 101. The House met at 10 a.m. and was called to order by the Speaker pro tempore, Mr. Cardenas. Ms. Foxx speaks for 5 minutes under the heading Reform the Multiemployer Pension System, saying Democrats keep forcing taxpayers to bail out failing and mismanaged union-run multiemployer plans, which is her characterization. Other remarks honor a community icon who gave refuge to youth, with books, food and tuition help, and note that companies in middle Tennessee were struggling to find workers.
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“Congressional Record, House of Representatives, June 14, 2022: Vol. 168, No. 101.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2022-06-14-crec-2022-06-14-pt1-pgh5489-5-4659fff6af/
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Congressional Record
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117 th CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION
United States
of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE
Vol. 168 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, JUNE 14, 2022 No. 101
House of Representatives
The House met at 10 a.m. and was placement, and her home became REFORM THE MULTIEMPLOYER
called to order by the Speaker pro tem- known as ‘‘the gay spot.’’ PENSION SYSTEM
pore (Mr. CÁRDENAS). Not only did she give refuge to our The SPEAKER pro tempore. The
f youth, but she provided them books, Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from
DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO food, and even assistance with their North Carolina (Ms. FOXX) for 5 min-
TEMPORE college tuition. She was an icon. utes.
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, Democrats
The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- Still today, LGBTQ-plus youth expe-
keep forcing taxpayers to bail out fail-
fore the House the following commu- rience homelessness at a dispropor- ing and mismanaged union-run multi-
nication from the Speaker: tionate rate. The Ruth Ellis Center in employer pension plans, and it needs to
WASHINGTON, DC, Highland Park was created in the 13 stop.
June 14, 2022. District Strong and was named after The Committee on Education and
I hereby appoint the Honorable TONY and in honor of Ms. Ellis. They provide Labor has dedicated considerable time
CÁRDENAS to act as Speaker pro tem- safe, affordable, identity-affirming and held countless hearings on the
pore on this day. housing for marginalized Black and problems posed by multiemployer pen-
NANCY PELOSI, Brown Detroiters, especially our sion plans and the Pension Benefit
Speaker of the House of Representatives. LGBTQ-plus youth. Join me today in Guaranty Corporation’s, PBGC’s, mul-
f honoring and recognizing Ruth Ellis tiemployer insurance program.
and the incredible advocacy of the Unfortunately, unlike previous bipar-
MORNING-HOUR DEBATE Ruth Ellis Center and their incredible tisan legislation to address the failing
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- team. system, our Democrat colleagues de-
ant to the order of the House of Janu- cided to go it alone by enacting the de-
CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF GREG MUDGE
ary 10, 2022, the Chair will now recog- ceitful American Rescue Plan Act,
nize Members from lists submitted by Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, today, I cel- ARPA.
the majority and minority leaders for ebrate the memory of Greg Mudge, a Under the guise of COVID relief,
morning-hour debate. longtime community advocate and ARPA included an irresponsible and
The Chair will alternate recognition businessowner in Detroit, who we trag- uncapped taxpayer bailout of failing
between the parties, with time equally ically lost last year. Greg was a be- and insolvent multiemployer pension
allocated between the parties and each loved member of our community, and plans. Let me repeat, there is no cap on
Member other than the majority and his sudden death was a shock to us all. the amount of taxpayer dollars that
minority leaders and the minority PBGC may send to multiemployer
When he first opened Mudgie’s Deli
whip limited to 5 minutes, but in no plans.
back in 2008, Greg was already consid-
event shall debate continue beyond This is especially concerning given
ered a member of our community. A
11:50 a.m. that multiemployer plans are currently
food service veteran himself, he built
f and managed his own business with the underfunded by $756 billion.
heart and soul of family. His approach Unsurprisingly, the cost of ARPA’s
HONORING THE LEGACY OF RUTH pension bailout program continues to
ELLIS was ‘‘all hands on deck,’’ and he never
shied away from any task and was al- grow. The Congressional Budget Office
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The originally estimated it would cost tax-
Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from ways ready to give a helping hand.
payers $86 billion. Five months later,
Michigan (Ms. TLAIB) for 5 minutes. Greg’s commitment to serving home- PBGC estimated it would likely dis-
Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I rise made food, including incorporating tribute $94.2 billion. After 2 more
today, during Pride Month, to honor family recipes, made Mudgie’s Deli a months, PBGC estimated it would like-
the phenomenal Ruth Ellis, a former neighborhood standout. More than ly distribute $97.2 billion and, in one
Detroit resident who was the oldest that, Greg’s enthusiasm and passion scenario, could distribute upward of
surviving open lesbian and an LGBTQ for his work shined through in all that $147 billion.
rights activist. he did. Greg Mudge embodied the spirit To date, PBGC has disbursed $6.7 bil-
Born in 1899, and living until the age of our beautiful southwest Detroit lion to 26 plans, and this is just the be-
of 101, she came out as a lesbian around community and our Corktown neigh- ginning.
1915. She took in LGBTQ-plus youth borhood. Please join me in honoring his In April, the Central States, South-
experiencing homelessness and dis- memory. east and Southwest Areas Pension Plan
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b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m.
Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor.
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H5490 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 14, 2022
requested a staggering $35 billion from Ms. SEWELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise Alabama State University later in life
taxpayers. PBGC is reviewing an addi- today to honor the extraordinary life to serve as chairman of the board of
tional eight applications requesting a and legacy of Montgomery County trustees for the Alabama State Univer-
total of $1.1 billion. In all, PBGC is ex- Commissioner Elton Dean, who passed sity. In this role, he served for 9 years
pected to send money to over 250 pen- away at the age of 72 on June 7, 2022. and generated $525 million worth of
sion plans. A native of Alabama’s Seventh Con- campus improvement.
PBGC has confirmed what we knew gressional District, Chairman Dean In his role as chairman of the board
to be true, but others refused to admit: graduated from Montgomery’s own of trustees for Alabama State Univer-
ARPA’s taxpayer-funded bailout will George Washington Carver High School sity, I got to know Chairman Dean be-
not fix a thing. before attending Selma University, cause he gave me, as a young bond law-
In September, the agency stated the where he received his associate’s de- yer, the opportunity to represent my
massive influx of taxpayer dollars will gree. parents’ alma mater, the Alabama
only delay the immediate insolvency of Returning to Montgomery, Chairman State University.
the multiemployer insurance program, Dean pursued his bachelor of science at It was Chairman Dean who encour-
and insolvency is still likely. Simply the Alabama State University, where aged me to run for Congress, and for
throwing money at plans will not solve he graduated in 1971 with a degree in his mentorship and his friendship, I am
the problem. business and economics.
ARPA failed to address the under- forever grateful.
Chairman Dean went on to become a
lying structural issues in the multiem- Chairman Dean rightfully received
successful businessman, putting to
ployer system that contributed to the numerous awards throughout the com-
work his entrepreneurial spirit to serve
crisis, thus ensuring that plan mis- munity: the Pioneer Award by The
and improve his community as owner
management and underfunding will Montgomery Tuskegee Times; the
of Dean Realty as well as 21st Century
persist. In fact, ARPA includes a gall- Montgomery County Area Chamber of
Hair Studio.
ing provision that explicitly bars PBGC In November 2000, Chairman Dean Commerce Chairman’s Award in 2012;
from reforming plan governance or al- was first elected to the Montgomery the Citizen of the Year Award by the
tering plan-funding rules of plans re- County Commission, where he humbly Sigma Phi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi
ceiving a bailout. and faithfully served the Second Dis- Fraternity in 2004; the Citizen of the
It is clear to me that the mismanage- trict for over 20 years. Dean was elect- Year Award by Kappa Alpha Psi Fra-
ment of multiemployer plans and the ed vice chairman in November 2004 be- ternity, Montgomery’s Alumni Chap-
risks they pose to workers, retirees, fore making history in March 2009 as ter; as well as the Kershaw YMCA Man
and the taxpayer cannot be ignored. the first African American to serve as of the Year.
Congress must require multiemployer chair of the Montgomery County Com- Chairman Dean was a true public
plans to measure their liabilities accu- mission. Montgomery County includes servant and a servant leader. Though I
rately and collect adequate contribu- the historic city of Montgomery, Ala- know so many of us are heartbroken by
tions to fund benefits. bama. his passing, I am eternally grateful for
Failing and insolvent plans must Known as a dedicated public servant our partnership on behalf of the citi-
stop making promises that they are and passionate community leader, zens of Montgomery County, Alabama,
unable and unwilling to keep. It is Chairman Dean’s legacy lives on in the and blessed to have been guided by his
common practice for insolvent plans, countless projects and initiatives that mentorship as well as his friendship
which do not have enough funds to pay came into fruition under his leader- over the years.
current retirees, to continue allowing ship, including the implementation of May his family find comfort in know-
active participants to accrue benefits Montgomery County’s back-to-school ing that Elton Dean’s legacy will live
and enroll new workers into the plan. sales tax holiday. on in the hearts of all those he im-
This is deceptive. This is wrong. This Chairman Dean is also known for pacted. As we mourn his passing, I ask
must stop. bringing the commission meetings to my colleagues to join me in celebrating
Congress should increase multiem- the people by holding his ‘‘On the the extraordinary life and legacy of
ployer insurance premiums to account Road’’ initiative, which allowed con- Montgomery County Commission
for the risk that underfunded plans stituents to meet directly with their Chairman Elton Dean.
pose to PBGC. representatives.
Multiemployer plans pay a meager f
Chairman Dean worked tirelessly to
flat-rate premium of $31 per partici- improve Montgomery County’s eco- b 1015
pant. In contrast, the single-employer nomic well-being. Among his most no-
program requires plans to pay an $88 RUNAWAY DEFICIT SPENDING
table achievements, he oversaw the im-
flat-rate premium in addition to a vari- plementation of the 1 percent sales tax The SPEAKER pro tempore. The
able rate premium based on a plan’s in 2001, which generated over $428 mil- Chair recognizes the gentleman from
level of underfunding. lion for public education in Mont- Tennessee (Mr. ROSE) for 5 minutes.
Decades of chronic underfunding and Mr. ROSE. Mr. Speaker, inflation is
gomery County, delivering critically
false promises have put millions of at the highest level we have seen since
needed resources to the children of our
workers and retirees at risk. By prop- Jimmy Carter was in the White House.
community.
ping up this clearly unsustainable sys- I have spoken many times about ris-
Chairman Dean never missed an op-
tem without enacting reforms, ARPA ing prices being fueled by out-of-con-
portunity to give back. Throughout his
continues to enable and encourage the trol spending. Today, I rise with even
adult life, he held countless positions,
irresponsible behaviors that caused more proof that this has been the case.
including serving on boards and organi-
this crisis. President Biden’s 2021 COVID stim-
Taxpayers saving for their own re- zations throughout Montgomery Coun-
ty, which included as executive board ulus bill overheated the economy, just
tirements should not be on the hook to
member of the South Central Alabama as I, and many other Republican Mem-
pay for the broken promises of union-
Boys and Girls Club as well as board bers of Congress, along with numerous
run multiemployer pension plans.
There must be accountability for this member for the Montgomery Improve- economists from both sides of the po-
gross mismanagement and real reform ment Association, board member for litical divide, predicted.
to ensure the multiemployer pension the Central Alabama Community Now a report by the non-partisan
system does not continue to deceive Foundation, and chairman of the trust- Congressional Budget Office shows that
workers and the American people. ee board and mass choir member of Mt. spending did, in fact, create a worker
SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with HOUSE
f Zion African Methodist Episcopal Zion shortage which strained supply chains
Church. He was commissioner of the and contributed to the economic crisis
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY Central Alabama Amateur Baseball in which we find ourselves today.
OF ELTON DEAN League and commissioner of the South- One year ago, companies across mid-
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The ern League Dixie Youth Baseball. dle Tennessee were struggling to find
Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from A very strong advocate for his alma workers. More than 160,000 Tennesseans
Alabama (Ms. SEWELL) for 5 minutes. mater, Chairman Dean returned to the were unemployed; yet 218,000 jobs were
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