Sens. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, and Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., are interested in offering a companion measure in the Senate to the House bill that would forbid the IRS from using taxpayers' dollars to pay for any activities that violate the age discrimination laws, Warren Gunnels, legislative aide to Rep. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said at a meeting in Washington July 25.
Mr. Sanders sponsored the measure, which was passed July 20, in the House; it was attached as an amendment to an appropriations bill for the Treasury Department and the U.S. Postal Service.
The senators would offer their measure as an amendment to the Treasury and Postal Service appropriations bill in the Senate when it comes up for consideration after lawmakers return from their Labor Day recess.
The measure is aimed at blocking the Internal Revenue Service from granting tax-favored status to traditional pension plans remade as cash balance plans. Messrs. Sanders, Harkin and Wellstone believe such plans violate age discrimination laws, and have written legislation that would make it harder for companies to offer such plans.
