Compliance June 1, 2004

Boehner Committee Looks for Enron Insights

January 30, 2002 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - A US House committee investigating the collapse of energy giant Enron and allegations of possible wrongdoing in its retirement plans, has scheduled two days of public hearings next week.

Reported by

Fred Schneyer

In a press release, Representative John Boehner (R-Ohio), chairman of the US House Committee on Education and the Workforce, said the panel would hear from Department of Labor Secretary Elaine Chao on February 6.

Boehner said the sessions would continue on February 7 with a panel of witnesses include Enron employees and executives.

Among the Thursday witnesses will be:

Cindy Olson, Enron executive vice president for Human Resources, Community Relations, and Building Services,
Chris Rahaim, Enron director of benefits,
Thomas Padgett, a former Enron employee, and
Scott Peterson, of Hewitt Associates, which took over the recordkeeping for the Enron 401(k) plan during the so-called ‘blackout” period

Boehner, who has become well known in retirement plan circles for sponsoring the first proposed legislation on retirement plan advice, first announced the hearings in December as part of the committee’s efforts to modernize ERISA.

Boehner’s advice bill passed the House in November, but has since languished in the Senate.