Shaping the World of Corporate Benefits Policy
The American Benefits Council (the Council) is recognized as the preeminent advocate of employer-sponsored benefit programs in Washington, D.C.
- Our members either sponsor directly, administer or service retirement, health and stock compensation plans covering more than 100 million Americans.
- We are major corporations sponsoring comprehensive and diverse benefit plans.
- We are professionals in the benefits field with expertise in investments, retirement, health insurance, accounting, actuarial science, banking, law, and benefits consulting who provide service and support to corporate benefit plan sponsors.
| Our mission is to be the most effective advocate for voluntary private employee benefits. |
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- The Council initiates and champions legislation and regulations favorable to our members' needs and interests, and influences policy development within Congress and the White House and executive branch agencies.
- We fend off policy proposals that add burdens, liabilities and costs for the employer plan sponsor community.
- We serve as a technical resource on benefits issues for lawmakers, the media and other industry trade associations. We also lead other public policy organizations in developing and communicating a collective business community position and forge alliances on benefits issues.
- We are an active participant as a "friend of the court" in judicial cases affecting benefits.
The Council's Board of Directors provides overall direction to the staff on retirement and health policy issues. Members enjoy many opportunities to weigh in and shape Council policy initiatives by providing recommendations to committees, task forces and the Board of Directors.
Members participate by:
- Serving on one or more of the Council's policy committees, task forces or working groups. Standing committees help develop the policy positions on broad-based health, retirement, stock compensation and flexible workforce issues. Standing task forces address technical policy issues and working groups on particular issues are also established on an as-needed basis.
- Sponsoring and supporting research projects and white papers on issues critical to the voluntary private employer-sponsored benefits system.
- Contacting the Council's professional staff with issues of importance to member organizations. Those issues are either incorporated into the agendas of the applicable committees or addressed individually through the Council's special advocacy program.
- Participating in monthly telephone conference calls.
- Reviewing comment letters and white papers.
- Providing fact-specific information on issues being addressed by Congress and regulatory agencies.
- Involving member companies' Washington representatives in the Council's activities specifically designed for them.
- Attending forums and briefings sponsored by the Council on key employee benefits issues.
- Attending advocacy meetings with members of Congress and agency representatives on matters of importance to your company.
The Council communicates with members regularly through a variety of means.
- On a weekly basis - and often more frequently - staff sends members e-mail with up-to-the-minute reports on legislative and regulatory developments and Council activities.
- The Council sponsors a monthly conference call highlighting important benefits issues and giving members the opportunity to ask the staff questions and provide input and guidance.
- The Council offers several specialized publications including Policy Notes and Action Alerts; both keep members apprised of advocacy activity in the Nation's Capital.
- We maintain this Web site, where important legislative and regulatory information as well as Council position papers can be obtained. The Web site also provides links to many other sources of information on compensation and benefits policy matters.
The Council is the only broad-based employee benefits organization that sponsors a political action committee (PAC).
- The PAC helps elect and reelect friends of the voluntary private employee benefits system.
- The PAC's Board of Directors, with input from our members, determines which campaign contributions will best further the Council's objectives.
The Council is a recognized leader in its field, and for good reason. Council staff embraces a commitment to fully serve the membership while maintaining the highest professional standards.
- The Council's staff has in-depth and hands-on experience in federal employee benefits policy.
- They have long-standing and effective relationships with members of Congress from both political parties, their Capitol Hill staffs, White House officials and with federal regulatory agencies including the Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, the Department of Treasury/Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Health and Human Services.
- Council staff members are available for speaking engagements on a range of benefits policy topics.
- Staff is always available to answer questions and address issues of interest and concern.
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