Andrews outlined a three-point strategy for government to aid workers who were trained for employment in an industrial economy and now face the possibility of losing their current job.  His plan calls for ensuring that these workers retain health care coverage for themselves and their families while they are training for new employment; making it easier for older workers to choose early retirement by offering them the the ability to buy into Medicare at an earlier age; and targeted federal investments in South Jersey to preserve our region's existing jobs in the industrial base.

"The U.S. economy is the strongest it has ever been and each day the stock market boasts new highs.  However, there is a forgotten sector of the workforce, including many workers in industrial jobs, who have been left behind and are in danger of becoming unemployed," said Andrews.  "I will continue to fight to preserve and strengthen the industrial sector of our economy.  But many workers who were originally trained for an 
industrial-age economy are now faced with the possibility of being laid off from their current position.  For some of these workers, the answer may be re-training to learn the skills they need to find a new job in the growing high-tech sectors of the economy.  
Others may choose to retire early, if they know they can have a secure income and health benefits.  Congress should pass these initiatives to make these options available to more of these forgotten workers."

The Medicare early buy-in plan, which Andrews outlined today, is currently contained in three different legislative proposals H.R. 3631, H.R 3529 and H.R. 2228 in the House.  This initiative is supported by President Clinton and was included in the President's FY 2001 Budget proposal.  Under this plan, early retirees could retain their present healthcare coverage by reducing the amount they would be required to pay or would be allowed to buy into Medicare coverage at the age of 55.  Andrews is enthusiastic that some version of this plan will be included as part of the final version of the Patient's Bill of Rights; Andrews is a member of the joint House-Senate committee that is writing the final version of the Patient's Bill of Rights.  Additionally, two of the three legislative proposals fall under Congressman Andrews' jurisdiction as the top Democratic member of the Subcommittee on Employee-Employer Relations.

During his meeting, Andrews also discussed ideas for new legislation to help workers who are not ready to retire.  His proposal would help workers to afford to retain health care coverage for themselves and their families while they are training for new employment.  Under this legislation, unemployed people who pay for their own health insurance would be reimbursed for a quarter of the cost of these premiums, through a 25% tax credit to assist these workers in paying for continuing health benefits under the 1985 Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).  The COBRA law allows workers in firms with greater than 20 employees to pay a full premium to buy into their former employers' health plan for up to 18 to 36 months after leaving their job.  However, fewer than 25 percent of people eligible for this coverage participate in this program due to the prohibitive price of paying the full cost of health insurance.  This proposal will make it easier for unemployed workers to pay for health insurance, giving them the breathing room they need to get re-trained for jobs.

Finally, as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Andrews will continue to fight for federal projects working with companies here in South Jersey to help to bolster the region's industrial economy.  Many South Jersey industrial employers have able to retain their current workforces and in some cases add more employees as a result of contracts with the federal government.  This partnership serves to help to continue industrial growth here at home and contributes to a functioning national industrial economy.  

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