There has been a lot of chatter as of late about possible legislation and efforts on the Hill to provide relief to failing multiemployer pension plans. On Thursday, November 16th, House Democrats introduced a bill that would allow multiemployer pension plans to receive loans from Treasury.

While the language of the bill is not yet available, according to congress.gov, the bill is intended to create a Pension Rehabilitation Trust Fund and to establish a Pension Rehabilitation Administration (PRA) within the Department of the Treasury to make loans to multiemployer defined benefit plans, and for other purposes. The PRA would allow pension plans to take out loans at low interest rates, in order for the plans to remain solvent and continue providing full retirement benefits for current and future retirees. The money for the loans would come from the sale of Treasury-issued bonds to financial institutions. There will likely be some reporting requirements and other restrictions for plans that take out such loans, to ensure that the plans can pay back the taxpayers.

This bill is in the first stage of the legislative process. The bill is now assigned to three House committees for review and consideration. If approved, it will then be sent to the House or Senate as a whole. A bill must be passed by both the House and Senate in identical form and then be signed by the President to become law.