Speeches & Statements

PRC staff and board of directors, together with national leaders, deeply mourn the passing of their hero and guiding light, Karen Ferguson
It is with deep sadness and the heaviest of hearts that the staff and board of directors of the Pension Rights Center announce the death of Karen Ferguson, the Center’s president and founder, who died on December 23rd from cancer. The Pension Rights Center is a national consumer organization that works to protect the retirement […]

Statement of the Pension Rights Center on permissive transfers of uncashed checks from ERISA plans to state unclaimed property funds before the ERISA Advisory Council (August 28, 2019)
PRC Policy Analyst Jane Smith testified before the ERISA Advisory Council on permissive transfers of uncashed checks from ERISA plans to state unclaimed property funds. She said, [A]lthough State unclaimed property programs are very helpful to individuals who have lost track of non-retirement assets, they are not the best arrangement for people who have earned […]

Statement of the Pension Rights Center on the “Cost of Inaction: Why Congress Must Address the Multiemployer Crisis” Subcommittee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (March 7, 2019)
The Pension Rights Center submitted this statement for the record of the Subcommittee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing, “Cost of Inaction: Why Congress Must Address the Multiemployer Crisis.” Read the full statement.

Joint Statement Opposing “Composite” Pension Legislation
Joint Statement of AARP, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Musicians for Pension Security, the National United Committee to Protect Pensions, the National Retirees Legislative Network, the Pension Rights Center, the United Steelworkers, and the Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust Opposing Composite Pension Legislation. Read the joint […]

PRC Statement to the ERISA Advisory Council on retirement plan disclosures (June 7, 2017)
PRC Policy Analyst Jane Smith testified before the ERISA Advisory Council on the improvements to the effectiveness of retirement plan disclosures to participants and beneficiaries. In her testimony, Jane noted that plan disclosures to participants are often confusing and written in technical language that is difficult for participants to understand. Addendum to 2017 statement.

Speech by Karen Friedman at a meeting of the National Education Association Retirees’ Organization (March 8, 2017)
Hello NEA retirees! It’s great to be here! Thanks for inviting me this morning to speak. I’m Karen Friedman, the executive vice president and policy director of the Pension Rights Center. We are a national consumer organization that has been around since 1976, working to promote and improve retirement security for American workers and their […]

Speech by Karen Friedman at a meeting of the Kansas City, Missouri Committee to Protect Pensions (February 9, 2017)
Hello! I’m so happy to be here speaking to all of you. Karen Ferguson, the Center’s director, and, Joellen Leavelle, the Center’s communications and outreach director, both wanted me to say a big hello to you too! Because, like me, they love you guys! When Dave Scheidt picked me up at the airport yesterday, he […]