AJR107: Joint Resolution Text

LRB-4642/1

PJD:kmg:jf

1999 - 2000 LEGISLATURE

1999 Assembly JOINT RESOLUTION 107

March 7, 2000 - Introduced by Representatives Hundertmark, Townsend, Montgomery, Musser, Jensen, Stone, Kelso, Hutchison, Olsen, Ziegelbauer, Sykora, Rhoades, Urban, Turner, Ladwig, Miller, Porter, Goetsch, Spillner, Leibham, Skindrud, Owens and Schooff, cosponsored by Senators Roessler, Lazich, Rosenzweig and Darling. Referred to Committee on Rules.

AJR107,1,2 Relating to: memorializing Congress to pass "The Senior Citizen's Freedom to Work Act" (H.R.) 5, eliminating the Social Security earnings limit.

AJR107,1,5 Whereas, under current law, Social Security recipients who are aged 65 to 69 have their benefits reduced by $1 for every $3 that they earn above $17,000 annually; and

AJR107,1,7 Whereas, this limit costs about 800,000 recipients all or part of their benefits; and

AJR107,1,9 Whereas, this limit produces the appearance of a 33% tax in addition to income and payroll taxes that senior citizens already have to pay; and

AJR107,1,12 Whereas, the Social Security earnings cap does not provide the federal government with additional revenue, because the lost benefits are returned as increased Social Security payments once a recipient reaches the age of 70; and

AJR107,1,15 Whereas, a noted economist believes that elimination of the earnings cap would allow seniors to work enough hours that it would be equivalent to adding 70,000 full-time workers to the Nation's workforce; and

AJR107,2,3 Whereas, in a limited labor market with only 4% unemployment, we must encourage our trained, skilled seniors to continue to be productive members of society through continued employment; now, therefore, it be

AJR107,2,6 Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the members of the Wisconsin legislature urge Congress to enact "The Senior Citizen's Freedom to Work Act" (H.R. 5), eliminating the Social Security earnings limit; and, be it further

AJR107,2,11 Resolved, That the assembly chief clerk shall provide a copy of this joint resolution to the president and secretary of the U.S. senate, to the speaker and clerk of the U.S. house of representatives and to each member of the congressional delegation from this state attesting the adoption of this joint resolution by the 1999 legislature of the state of Wisconsin.

AJR107,2,12 (End)