Turner, Ryan lead bipartisan effort urging Obama to review Delphi salaried pensions

Ohio Congressmen Mike Turner and Tim Ryan have led a bipartisan group of 19 members of the House of Representatives and the United States Senate asking the President to review the ongoing situation involving the receipt of reduced pension benefits by salaried retirees of Delphi Corporation.

A recent Special Inspector General of the Troubled Assets Relief Program (SIGTARP) audit entitled, “Treasury’s Role in the Decision for GM to Provide Pension Payments to Delphi Employees,” indicates that the Administration played a significant role in negotiations during General Motors’ bankruptcy – a role which several senior Administration officials previously denied.

The bipartisan, bicameral letter asks the President to reconsider the issue, given that the SIGTARP audit uncovered new facts and information.

Specifically, the letter requests that the President review the situation again, since this new information was not available when he was first briefed on the issue in August 2009.

“The report clearly highlights Treasury stepping in and perverting the process of the bankruptcy, using their influence to make certain that the outcome was politically desirable to the Administration. The President needs to review the findings in this report and restore the pensions the Delphi Salaried Retirees deserve,” said Congressman Mike Turner.

"I am committed to helping the Delphi salaried retirees and non top-up splinter unions receive the benefits they worked for—and were promised to them while they were Delphi employees. In the event the court deems that certain Delphi employees were treated unfairly, it is paramount that benefit treatments be distributed in a fair and equitable manner. I hope the President will react favorably to our letter of support for former Delphi employees,” said Congressman Tim Ryan.

“Until the thousands of families across Ohio who did not receive the benefits they were promised receive at least the decency of an answer as to why other retirees from the same company received far better treatment, I will not stop pressing for answers regarding the unfair treatment of Delphi retirees,” Sen. Rob Portman said.