NEW YORK, NY October 10, 2008 —Senator Charles Schumer says the high number of Long Island Rail Road employees collecting disability payments may be due to dishonest doctors.

With four separate investigations underway into such payments to LIRR retirees, Schumer and Long Island Congressman Tim Bishop met privately today in the city with members of the Railroad Retirement Board, an obscure federal panel. "There's a feeling that these doctors were not on the level,” Schumer said afterward. It was reported last month that more than 90 percent of LIRR employees were granted disability payments by the board, allowing them to collect huge payments every year.

Schumer and Bishop say they asked the board to take a closer look immediately at who is granted disability payments.