Dear All:
 
John Tolman forwarded this email this morning asking for our help in moving H.R. 5483, the Railroad Retirement Disability Earnings Act.  As you can see from the email, Senator Enzi has put a "hold" on the bill.  This can be done by any Senator, and does not require a reason, but it effectively stops any movement of the bill through the Senate.  Please do all you can as soon as possible to make sure the Senator gets the message that he needs to allow the bill to move.  Congress will be adjourning in the next day or two, so time is of the essence.
 
Thank you,
 
Becky Schneider, National President
BLET Auxiliary
515 W. Redd Road
El Paso, TX   79932
Phone:  (915) 581-1373
Fax:  (915) 587-6897
Cell:  (915) 539-1072
 
 
 
BLET Members are urged to call Senator Enzi
 
CLEVELAND, September 29 -- BLET members are urged to call Senator Mike Enzi, R (WY) and ask him to take his hold off of H.R. 5483, the Railroad Retirement Disability Earnings Act.
 
The House passed the bill on September 27 and the Senate needs to pass it in order for it to become law.
 
This bill will permit those who have been disabled and are no receiving Railroad Retirement disability to increase the amount of outside earned income to $700 monthly without suffering a reduction in benefits.  The current cap on outside earnings is $400 monthly.  The bill passed by the House also provides for annual cost of living adjustment.
 
Please call or fax his office and ask him to take his hold off of the bill.  The office phone and fax numbers follow:
 
Washington, D.C. Office:
379A Senate Russell Office Building
Washington, DC  20510
Main:  (202) 224-3424
Fax:  (202) 228-0359
Toll free:  (888) 250-1879
 
Gillette Office:
400 S. Kendrick Avenue, Suite 303
Gillette, WY  82716
Main:  (307) 682-6268
Fax:  (307) 682-6501
 
Cheyenne Office:
Federal Center
Suite 2007
2120 Capitol Avenue
Cheyenne, WY  82001
Main:  (307) 772-2477
Fax:  (307) 772-2480
 
Cody Office:
1285 Sheridan Avenue
Suite 210
Cody, WY  82414
Main:  (307) 527-9444
Fax:  (307) 527-9476
 
Jackson Office:
Post Office Box 12470
Jackson, WY  83002
Main:  (307) 739-9507
Fax:  (307) 739-9520
 
Casper Office:
100 East B Street, Room 3201
P. O. Box 33201
Casper, WY  82602
Main:  (307) 261-6572
Fax:  (307) 261-6574
 
The following is a sample letter that can be sent to his offices:
 
Dear Senator Enzi:
 
My name is ___________________________________ and I have been a railroad worker for _____ years.  I am deeply concerned by the hold you have placed on H.R. 5483 and I urge you to remove this hold.  This bill will have a great impact on the lives of all railroad workers -- many of whom live in Wyoming.
 
Again, I ask you to remove your hold and allow the bill to go forward. H.R. 5483 is too important to the lives of railroad workers to be allowed to languish until the next session.
 
Sincerely,
 
 
______________________
Your name
 
 
Thank you for your help.
 
John P. Tolman
Vice President and National Legislative Representative
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen
25 Louisiana Avenue, NW
Washington, DC  20001
Washington, D.C. Phone:  (202) 624-8776
Fax:  (202) 624-3886
tolman@ble-t.org
www.ble-t.org