Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen

Your Voice Made a Difference. Now Let’s Make it Count Even More in FY 2026.

Jul 15, 2025

The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is requesting the funding it needs to continue delivering critical services, and now is the time to raise our voices and make sure Congress delivers.

During the last appropriations cycle, your outreach made a real impact, helping lawmakers understand exactly who would be affected by funding shortfalls. Many in Congress gained a clearer view of the RRB’s essential role and the real people behind the budget request. That awareness was hard-earned and essential.

But awareness alone isn’t enough. Despite your efforts, Congress still approved an RRB budget well below what was needed.

This time, we must do more and push harder to ensure lawmakers follow through with the funding necessary to prevent further delays, service gaps, and staffing cuts.

What’s at Stake in FY 2026

For Fiscal Year 2026, the RRB is requesting $170.615 million, a level driven by clear and urgent need. This request is $44.615 million above the President’s Budget request of $126 million and is necessary to prevent mission failure at the agency.

This funding would allow the RRB to:

Restore staffing levels to 844 Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs), the minimum required to manage workload backlogs.
Tackle a growing backlog of more than 90,000 unresolved post-award retirement actions.
Process over 2,000 pending initial disability claims and more than 3,000 early Medicare cases.
Begin long-overdue IT modernization by transitioning away from the more than 200 COBOL-based systems to a user-friendly integrated digital platform.

The Problem: Repeated Budget Shortfalls

Year after year, the RRB has been flat-funded or underfunded, consistently falling short of even its most basic operational needs. Since 2017, staffing levels have dropped nearly 18%, pushing the RRB to the brink and delaying benefits for tens of thousands of railroad workers and their families.

Although the railroad retirement system remains solvent and self-funded through employer and employee contributions, not taxpayer dollars, the RRB’s ability to deliver those benefits depends on receiving adequate administrative funding from Congress.

Why Your Voice Matters

Congressional staff have already signaled that funding cuts are likely across the board this year. That includes cuts to the RRB, despite its trust-fund-based model and critical service mission.

The only way to reverse this trend is through member action.

Your outreach reminds legislators that the RRB is not a faceless agency. It is the gateway to the benefits you have earned. Just like last time, your voice can make the difference in ensuring that our retirement system is funded at a level that allows it to function effectively.

Take Action Now

Email Your Representative

Go to:house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Enter your ZIP code to find your House Representative.
Use the provided template (copy/paste and personalize). [see below]

Call Your Representative

Dial the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
Ask to be connected to your House Representative.
You may use the provided script. [see below]

[Date]

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, ZIP]

The Honorable [Congress Member’s Name]
[Office Address]
[City, State, ZIP]

Subject: Support Full Funding for the Railroad Retirement Board in FY 2026

Dear Congress Member [Last Name],

My name is [Your Name], and I live in [City, State]. I am writing to respectfully urge you to support full funding for the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) at its Fiscal Year 2026 agency request level of $170.615 million.

For years, the RRB has operated under flat or reduced budgets, leading to serious service delays and growing backlogs. These issues directly affect the railroad workers, retirees, and families who depend on timely, accurate benefits. Right now, more than 90,000 post-award actions are pending, and tens of thousands of disability, Medicare, and retirement claims are delayed.

It’s important to note that the RRB is not funded by general taxpayer dollars. Its budget comes from the railroad retirement trust fund, which is financed entirely by payroll taxes paid by railroad employers and employees. Undercutting the RRB’s administrative funding does not reduce the federal deficit; it only harms those who have already paid into this system. The requested funding level will support critical staffing and continue long-overdue IT modernization, helping the agency deliver benefits more efficiently and reliably. Without this investment, the RRB faces a growing risk of operational failure.

As your constituent, I respectfully ask you to ensure the RRB receives the full $170.615 million it needs to fulfill its mission. Please stand with railroad families by backing this vital funding in the FY 2026 appropriations process.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Contact Information]

Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I’m your constituent from [City, State].

I’m calling to urge [Representative/Senator] [Last Name] to support full funding for the Railroad Retirement Board’s Fiscal Year 2026 request of $170.615 million.

The RRB provides critical services to railroad workers, retirees, and their families, but years of underfunding have already caused serious delays in retirement, disability, and unemployment benefit processing. Right now, tens of thousands of claims are backlogged, and field offices across the country are understaffed and unable to keep up with demand.

This funding does not come from taxpayers, it’s paid entirely by railroad workers and employers through a dedicated trust fund. Cutting the RRB’s budget doesn’t reduce the federal deficit; it only harms those who have paid into the system and depend on those benefits.

Please ensure [Representative/Senator] [Last Name] supports the full $170.615 million needed to keep the RRB operating effectively.

Thank you for your time and attention.