High Country Times

Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx and Representative Bob Good are maintaining pressure on Attorney General Merrick Garland regarding taxpayer funds used for improper payments to multiemployer pension plans. These payments were made to deceased participants, as outlined in a letter sent by Foxx to Garland.

The letter addresses the ongoing investigation into the Biden-Harris administration's implementation of the Special Financial Assistance (SFA) program under the American Rescue Plan Act. The program's mismanagement has led to hundreds of millions in overpayments.

Foxx and Good stated, "In November 2023, the Committee became aware that the Pension Benefits Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) approved more than $127 million in SFA program overpayments for at least 3,479 deceased participants for one plan alone: the Central States, Southeast, and Southwest Pension Fund (Central States). As the result of oversight on this matter, the Committee ensured that the $127 million in overpayments would be recovered on behalf of taxpayers. On April 8, 2024, DOJ announced it had entered into a civil settlement agreement to receive repayment of these funds from Central States. One other plan, the Graphic Communications National Pension Fund (NPF), also agreed to repay $8 million of improper SFA it received on behalf of deceased participants. However, PBGC has not reported repayment from more than 60 other plans that received similar improper payments. We are concerned that none of these other plans have restored the improper payments."

The Department of Justice has yet to respond to repeated inquiries from the Committee, which hampers its ability to carry out investigative and legislative responsibilities as Congress nears its session end.