The Transportation Trades Department (TTD) of the American Federation of Labor and Congress Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) on Dec. 5 sent a letter to Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) leadership urging them to move forward with Deborah Halvorson-Bush’s (D-IL) nomination for the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), a “top priority” across the coalition’s 13 rail unions during the last two weeks of the Senate calendar.
“Ms. Halvorson-Bush’s commitment to public service, knowledge of transportation and rail policy, and demonstrated leadership skills make her a formidable candidate that will be a strong addition to the RRB. Yet her nomination has been pending since July,” the coalition wrote in the letter (download below). “The rail workers who have paid into the system deserve a full complement of board members to ensure their benefits will be delivered in full and without unnecessary bureaucratic delay,” stated RRB, adding that it is urging leadership to “expeditiously act to ensure the agency is at full board member capacity in the remaining weeks of the 118th Congress.”
Editor’s Note: Halverson-Bush was nominated by President Biden to succeed RRB Chairperson Erhard R. Chorle, who term expired in 2022. RRB members may remain in office until a successor is Senate confirmed. As a Democrat, it is unlikely Halvorson-Bush will be renominated by the President-elect in 2025, who nominated Chorle for chairperson post in 2019. He likely will renominate Chorle or another Republican for the post. And with the 119th Congress scheduled to convene on Jan. 3, 2025, a committee markup to consider Halverson-Bush’s nomination prior to that does seem unlikely.
