madam speaker , american workers know that a defined pension plan is a promise from their employer , a promise that , when they retire , they will receive a benefit they can rely on . 
in fact , they have planned their retirement future on that promise . 
this bill allows companies to break that promise . 
it allows companies to switch midstream to cash balance plans , ignoring that promise to their workers . 
these workers have trusted that this benefit will be there . 
it will be there at the end of their service to a company . 
in fact , these workers have quite often given up pay raises or other benefits for their retirement security . 
these pension benefits have been earned . 
they have been promised . 
they must be honored . 
actually , earlier this year , the republican majority tried but failed to destroy the social security system by going back on their promise to every american that at a certain age they would receive a defined benefit , a benefit they could count on . 
americans overwhelmingly stood up to the republicans and said social security is ours , you promised it , we rely on it , you can not have it . 
so the republican majority could not take social security away from americans with privatization . 
now , they are trying to pull the rug out from under people who have dedicated their lives working hard for their companies . 
madam speaker , these workers were promised defined retirement benefits . 
they earned those benefits , and this congress can not allow companies to go back on their word . 
we must ensure that these hardworking americans get the pension benefits they have been promised that they have earned . 
i urge my colleagues to oppose h.r. 2830 . 
protect american pensions . 
