Railroad Retirement and Survivors' Improvement Act of 2001

1/17/2023, 12:03 AM
Railroad Retirement and Survivors' Improvement Act of 2001 - Amends the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 to increase benefits to railroad employees and their beneficiaries and to revise financing of the pension part (tier II) of the railroad retirement system.

Establishes a Railroad Retirement Trust Fund and a Railroad Retirement Investment Trust to manage and invest Fund assets. Abolishes the Railroad Retirement Supplemental Annuity Account and provides for transfer of its funds to the Fund. Provides for transfer to the Fund of certain portions of the Railroad Retirement Account and of Social Security Equivalent Benefit account funds. Transfers to the disbursing agent from the Dual Benefits Payments Account the amount necessary to make dual benefit payments.

Requires the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) to calculate the ratio of assets to benefits to determine annual tier II tax rates for employers, employee representatives, and employees.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt the Fund from taxation. Repeals a supplemental annuity tax that railroad employers pay to finance a benefit for long-time rail employees. Provides for adjustments to railroad employers, employee representatives, and employee tier II tax rates.

Congress
107

Number
HR - 1140

Introduced on
2001-03-21

# Amendments
0

Sponsors
+5

Cosponsors
+5

Variations and Revisions

8/1/2001

Status of Legislation

Bill Introduced
Introduced to House
House to Vote
Introduced to Senate
Senate to Vote

Purpose and Summary

Railroad Retirement and Survivors' Improvement Act of 2001 - Amends the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 to increase benefits to railroad employees and their beneficiaries and to revise financing of the pension part (tier II) of the railroad retirement system.

Establishes a Railroad Retirement Trust Fund and a Railroad Retirement Investment Trust to manage and invest Fund assets. Abolishes the Railroad Retirement Supplemental Annuity Account and provides for transfer of its funds to the Fund. Provides for transfer to the Fund of certain portions of the Railroad Retirement Account and of Social Security Equivalent Benefit account funds. Transfers to the disbursing agent from the Dual Benefits Payments Account the amount necessary to make dual benefit payments.

Requires the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) to calculate the ratio of assets to benefits to determine annual tier II tax rates for employers, employee representatives, and employees.

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt the Fund from taxation. Repeals a supplemental annuity tax that railroad employers pay to finance a benefit for long-time rail employees. Provides for adjustments to railroad employers, employee representatives, and employee tier II tax rates.

Alternative Names
Official Title as IntroducedTo modernize the financing of the railroad retirement system and to provide enhanced benefits to employees and beneficiaries.

Policy Areas
Labor and Employment

Potential Impact
Annuities•
Auditing•
Business income tax•
Civil actions and liability•
Commerce•
Congress•
Congressional reporting requirements•
Deficit reduction•
Divorce•
Divorcees•
Economics and Public Finance•
Excise tax•
Families•
Federal budgets•
Finance and Financial Sector•
Financial statements•
Government Operations and Politics•
Government paperwork•
Government trust funds•
Income tax•
Injunctions•
Investment of public funds•
Law•
Married people•
Old age, survivors and disability insurance•
Personal income tax•
Railroad employees•
Railroad retirement plans•
Retirement age•
Social Welfare•
Surety and fidelity•
Survivors' benefits•
Tax cuts•
Tax rates•
Tax-exempt organizations•
Taxation•
Transportation and Public Works•
Trusts and trustees•
Widowers•
Widows•
Withholding tax•
Women

Comments

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Recent Activity

Latest Summary11/28/2006
Railroad Retirement and Survivors' Improvement Act of 2001 - Amends the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 to increase benefits to railroad employees and their beneficiaries and to revise financing of the pension part (tier II) of the railroad retiremen...

Latest Action8/1/2001
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.