Alliance For Retired Americans Executive Director Coyle To Retire

Edward Coyle, who’s been the Executive Director of the Alliance For Retired Americanssince its Launch in 2001, has announced he Plans to Retire.  During his Dozen-Year Stewardship of the Alliance, Coyle: Steadfastly Supported Seniors on Capitol Hill through Numerous Battles Over Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid; Led the Way for Retirees to Victories in Key Federal and State Elections; and Chartered 34 State Alliance Affiliates with Hundreds of Local Chapters.  Coyle says He Will Stay Until a Successor is named.  In Reaction to the Announcement, Alliance President Barbara Easterling said: “With Ed at My Side, I Have Always Known the Alliance’s Positions Would Further the Organization’s Goals of Economic Justice and Increased Retirement Security for ‘All’ Americans.  He’s Been a Pleasure to Work With.  We are Sorry to Lose Him as our Executive Director, but We Hold On to his Creative Spirit and Forceful Energy that he Brought to the Job Every Day.  I Think that All of Our Activists and Staff Join Me in Wishing Ed the Best and Saying a Gigantic, Collective ‘Thank-You.’”   Said the Alliance’s Secretary-Treasurer Ruben Burks: “Ed’s Been a True Leader and he’s Done an Outstanding Job.  He’s Been There For All Of Us.  He Will Be Sorely Missed.”

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew: Congress Must Raise Debt Ceiling By Mid-October

U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew has informed Congress that it Must Act to Raise the Debt Ceiling by Mid-October to Avoid a Catastrophic Government Shutdown.  Far-Right Republicans have Declared their Refusal to Raise the Debt Ceiling Unless the Affordable Care Act is Repealed. While House Speaker John Boehner (Republican-Ohio) Has Not Stated His Support for this Plan, Recent Reports Indicate that He Instead Plans to Demand Cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid In Return For Agreeing to Raise the Debt Ceiling and End the Sequester.

U.S. Justice Department Sues Texas Over Voter ID Law

The United States Justice Department, led by Attorney General Eric Holder, has Filed a Lawsuit Against the State of Texas in an Attempt to Overturn Recent Changes in the State’s Voting Law. The Justice Department’s Lawsuit against a New Texas Law Requiring Voters to have a Photo ID Argues the Law is Illegal Under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which Bans Discriminatory Voting Rules.  The Justice Department is also Planning to become a Co-Plaintiff in a Separate Lawsuit, Filed by Civil Rights Groups, against a Texas Redistricting Plan.  Both the Voter ID Law and the Redistricting Plan were Struck Down by Federal Courts Last Year, but the State of Texas Alleges they are Now Legal Due to the Recent Supreme Court Decision Striking Down Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act, which Required Texas and 8 other States with a History of Discriminatory Voting Laws to have Any Changes to their Voting Laws Approved by the U.S. Justice Department or a Federal Court.  The New York Times has more at http://tinyurl.com/pskgoh6.  “There is Zero Evidence that ‘Voter Fraud’ is a Problem in this Country,” Alliance Executive Director Coyle said. “Seniors Don’t Always Have Photo Identification.  They Should Not Be Required to Use their Limited Funds and Spend Hours Standing In Line to Obtain a Photo ID Just To Exercise the Fundamental Right to Vote."

Appeals Court Rules In Favor Of UMWA Retirees

A U.S. Appeals Court has Overturned a Lower Court’s Ruling, in a Victory for United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Retirees.  Last May, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Eastern District of Missouri Issued a Ruling for the Case of Patriot Coal, a Company that was Created by Peabody Energy in 2007 with 43% of Peabody’s Liabilities - But Just 11% of its Assets.  Patriot Declared Bankruptcy in 2012.  The Bankruptcy Court Ruled Peabody Coal Was Not Responsible for Paying the Retiree Health Cost that Patriot Had Taken On, Despite the Fact the Vast Majority of these Retirees Actually Worked For Peabody and were Never Employed by Patriot.  The New Ruling from the Appeals Court Overturns the Previous Ruling and States Peabody is Required to Provide Health Care Benefits for 3,100 Retirees and their Families.  UMWA Retirees are Pleased by the Victory, but are Continuing to Fight to Preserve their Benefits in the Wake of Patriot’s Bankruptcy.  “While this Fight is Far From Over, the Appeals Court Absolutely Made the Right Decision,” Alliance President Easterling said. “Patriot Coal was ‘Designed to Fail’ from the Start, so that Peabody Could Avoid Its Obligations to Retirees by Transferring Them to a Soon-to-Be Bankrupt Company.”