02/13/2025
(INFO*Feb. 13, 2025)
REP. TURNER REINTRODUCES BILL TO RESTORE DELPHI SALARIED RETIREES' PENSIONS
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) joined representatives Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Claudia Tenney (NY-24), and Gwen Moore (WI-04) to reintroduce the Susan Muffley Act of 2025.
This bipartisan effort is aimed at restoring pensions for over 21,000 Delphi Salaried Retirees, including approximately 5,180 in Ohio. Named in honor of the late wife of a Delphi retiree, the legislation seeks to provide financial relief to those whose pensions were reduced or eliminated following Delphi’s bankruptcy.
“I have remained steadfast in my fight to restore the pensions of Delphi Salaried Retirees,” said Congressman Mike Turner. “While this has been a long time coming, the strong bipartisan support gives us hope that we can finally right this wrong for those who lost their pensions.”
“The dedicated men and women who contributed to Delphi's success were assured a secure retirement as a reward for their years of commitment,” said Congresswoman Kaptur. “Yet, time and again, we’ve seen how these solemn promises to American workers have been discarded, stripping them of financial stability that is justly theirs. The re-introduction of the Susan Muffley Act underscores our commitment to fulfilling Delphi’s initial promise. By reinstating earned retirement benefits, we ensure a brighter future for thousands of retirees. From Defiance to Sandusky, Ohio, and throughout the Midwest and Industrial Heartland, the Susan Muffley Act is crucial to restoring what these retirees are owed.”
“In 2009, the Obama administration unjustly stripped over 20,000 Delphi workers of their hard-earned pensions,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “For nearly 14 years, the Delphi Salaried Retirees have been fighting to reclaim the full benefits they lost through no fault of their own. I am honored to once again lead the Susan Muffley Act, which seeks to correct this grave injustice by restoring the pensions of all Delphi Salaried Retirees, including the 2,300 impacted in Western and Central New York.”
“It’s past overdue for Delphi salaried workers to be made whole through the restoration of their pensions,” said Congresswoman Moore. “That’s why I am proudly joining this important bipartisan effort to ensure these workers receive the retirement benefits they have earned and deserve.”
Congressman Turner and the three co-leads were joined by a bipartisan coalition of original cosponsors including Daniel Webster (FL-11), Adam Smith (WA-09), Michael Rulli (OH-06), Austin Scott (GA-08), Jim Baird (IN-04), Jack Bergman (MI-01), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Troy Balderson (OH-12), Brian Steil (WI-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Dave Joyce (OH-14), Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), and Victoria Spartz (IN-05).
Under the bill, retirees would receive a lump sum payment covering the pension benefits they should have received over the past 15 years, with 6 percent interest added to account for the delay. Moving forward, the legislation would fully restore their pensions, ensuring retirees receive the payments they were originally promised, as if the disruption had never occurred.
Background:
During the Great Recession of 2009, car parts manufacturer Delphi faced bankruptcy. The company was acquired by General Motors (GM), which also faced financial hardship during that time. As part of GM’s bailout, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) took trusteeship of Delphi employees’ pensions at the direction of the Obama Administration.
One group employed by Delphi was a group of 21,000 salaried employees, including those who worked at the company’s plant in Dayton. Retirement benefits for these employees included a single-employer pension. GM decided to close the plant and voluntarily terminate the fully funded pension of the salaried employees. At that point, the PBGC became the sole trustee of the plan. The salaried employees then formed the Delphi Salaried Retirees Association (DSRA).
Since 2009, Congressman Turner has been working closely with the Delphi Salaried Retiree Association (DRSA) to restore their benefits throughout the Obama, Trump and Biden Administrations.
In October 2020, at the urging of Congressman Turner, former President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum directing the PBGC to examine the financial status of Delphi Salaried Retirees’ pension fund and to investigate administrative or legislative pathways for the restoration of the fund.
In December 2021, Turner filed an Amicus Brief when the DSRA filed for Cert with the U.S. Supreme Court in the Dennis Black, et al. v. PBGC case. The case was subsequently denied cert, thus Turner authored the “Susan Muffley Act” as the only option to wholly restore the pensions.
In July 2022, the Susan Muffley Act passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support 254-175. Unfortunately, the Senate failed to approve the bill prior to the end of the 117th Congress.
