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The author suggests how the U.S. Congress can help in gaining effective state pension reforms. He mentions that initiatives had untouched the basic problems in state pension systems, resulting to unsuccessful fixes since 2009. He proposes three aims lawmakers should focus on, such as to stop the states into skipping their pension system payments, eliminate accounting rules which prevent them from contributing in retirement systems, and strengthen the incentives for retirement savings.

The article examines the solution to the pension crisis facing state and local governments in the U.S. in 2011. Utah was able to avoid a pension catastrophe due to the cost-saving reform plan introduced by Governor Dan Liljenquist. The fundamental problems with the pension plans are the excessive cost and the excessive risks posed by the plans to taxpayers. It predicts the difficulty in promoting pension reform politically due to greater transparency.