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[Page S2923]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS
The following petition or memorial was laid before the Senate and was
referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:
POM-60. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature
of the State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress
to take such actions as are necessary to review and consider
eliminating provisions of federal law which reduce Social
Security benefits for those receiving pension benefits from
certain federal, state, or local government retirement or
pension systems, plans, or funds; to the Committee on
Finance.
House Concurrent Resolution No. 20
Whereas, the Congress of the United States of America has
enacted both the Government Pension Offset (GPO), reducing
the spousal and survivor Social Security benefit, and the
Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), reducing the earned
Social Security benefits payable to any person who also
receives a public pension benefit; and
Whereas, the GPO negatively affects a spouse or survivor
receiving a federal, state, or local government retirement or
pension benefit who would also be entitled to a Social
Security benefit earned by a spouse; and
Whereas, the GPO formula reduces the spousal or survivor
Social Security benefit by two-thirds of the amount of the
federal, state, or local government retirement or pension
benefit received by the spouse or survivor, in many cases
completely eliminating the Social Security benefit even
though their spouses paid Social Security taxes for many
years; and
Whereas, the GPO has a harsh effect on hundreds of
thousands of citizens and undermines the original purpose of
the Social Security dependent/survivor benefit; and
Whereas, according to recent Social Security Administration
figures, more than half a million individuals nationally are
affected by the GPO; and
Whereas, the WEP applies to those persons who have earned
federal, state, or local government retirement or pension
benefits, in addition to working in employment covered under
Social Security and paying into the Social Security system;
and
Whereas, the WEP reduces the earned Social Security benefit
using an averaged indexed monthly earnings formula and may
reduce Social Security benefits for affected persons by as
much as one-half of the retirement benefit earned as a public
servant in employment not covered under Social Security; and
Whereas, the WEP causes hardworking individuals to lose a
significant portion of the Social Security benefits that they
earn themselves; and
Whereas, according to recent Social Security Administration
figures, more than one and a half million individuals
nationally are affected by the WEP; and
Whereas, in certain circumstances both the WEP and GPO can
be applied to a qualifying survivor's benefit, each
independently reducing the available benefit and in
combination eliminating a large portion of the total Social
Security benefit available to the survivor; and
Whereas, because of the calculation characteristics of the
GPO and the WEP, they have a disproportionately negative
effect on employees working in lower-wage government jobs,
like policemen, firefighters, teachers, and state employees;
and
Whereas, Louisiana is making every effort to improve the
quality of life of its citizens and to encourage them to live
here lifelong, yet the current GPO and WEP provisions
compromise their quality of life; and
Whereas, the number of people affected by GPO and WEP is
growing every day as more and more people reach retirement
age; and
Whereas, individuals drastically affected by the GPO or WEP
may have no choice but to return to work after retirement in
order to make ends meet, but the earnings accumulated during
this return to work can further reduce the Social Security
benefits the individual is entitled to; and
Whereas, the GPO and WEP are established in federal law,
and repeal of the GPO and the WEP can only be enacted by
congress: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions
as are necessary to review the Government Pension Offset and
the Windfall Elimination Provision Social Security benefit
reductions and to consider eliminating or reducing them; and
be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of
Representatives of the Congress of the United States of
America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional
delegation.
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