Assembly Joint Resolution No. 10–Committee on
Health and Human Services

 

March 19, 2001

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services

 

 

SUMMARY—Urges Congress to amend Social Security Act to modify certain reductions in social security benefits that are required for spouses and surviving spouses who are also receiving certain federal, state or local government pensions. (BDR R‑1484)

 

FISCAL NOTE:            Effect on Local Government: No.

                     Effect on the State: No.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

Assembly Joint RESOLUTION—Urging Congress to amend the Social Security Act to modify certain reductions in social security benefits that are required for spouses and surviving spouses who are also receiving certain federal, state or local government pensions.

 

1-1    Whereas, In 1977, Congress enacted the Government Pension Offset

1-2  (GPO) to treat government pensions and survivor annuities as if they were

1-3  social security benefits; and

1-4    Whereas, Congress amended the GPO in 1983 by enacting a provision

1-5  requiring that the social security benefits of a person receiving a federal,

1-6  state or local government pension from work not covered by social security

1-7  be offset or reduced by an amount that is equal to two-thirds of the

1-8  government pension; and

1-9    Whereas, The GPO can affect any retiree who receives a federal, state

1-10  or local government pension and social security benefits, but primarily

1-11  affects widows and widowers eligible for spousal benefits; and

1-12    Whereas, Since its inception, more than 305,000 retired federal, state

1-13  and local government employees have had their benefits fully or partially

1-14  reduced by the GPO; and

1-15    Whereas, Approximately 70 percent of those persons affected by the

1-16  GPO are women, of whom more than 89,000 are widows; and

1-17    Whereas, Statistics show that the average loss in retirement benefits

1-18  for those persons affected by the GPO is nearly $350 per month, with

1-19  widows experiencing the highest average monthly loss of approximately

1-20  $477; and

2-1    Whereas, Unintentionally, the GPO has harmed a disproportionate

2-2  number of women who are federal, state and local government retirees with

2-3  moderate and lower incomes by dropping many of them below the poverty

2-4  line in their retirement years; and

2-5    Whereas, During the 107th session of Congress, Representative

2-6  William Jefferson of Louisiana introduced H.R. 664, a bill that would

2-7  modify the GPO by allowing spouses and surviving spouses who are also

2-8  receiving certain federal, state or local government pensions to receive a

2-9  minimum of $1,200 per month before the two-thirds offset could be

2-10  imposed; and

2-11    Whereas, This targeted reform is designed to help the most serious

2-12  victims of the GPO, those federal, state and local government retirees with

2-13  the lowest government pensions who are primarily women; now, therefore,

2-14  be it

2-15    Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of Nevada,

2-16  Jointly, That the members of the Nevada Legislature hereby urge

2-17  Congress to amend the Social Security Act to provide that the reductions in

2-18  social security benefits which are required for spouses and surviving

2-19  spouses who are also receiving certain federal, state or local government

2-20  pensions must be equal to the amount by which two-thirds of the total

2-21  amount of the combined monthly benefit and monthly pension exceeds

2-22  $1,200; and be it further

2-23    Resolved, That the passage of H.R. 664 will restore fairness and

2-24  equity to the most vulnerable federal, state and local government retirees at

2-25  a relatively low cost of approximately $2 billion over 5 years, thereby

2-26  entitling those persons who have worked diligently their entire lives to reap

2-27  the fruits of their labor after retirement; and be it further

2-28    Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and transmit

2-29  a copy of this resolution to the Vice President of the United States as the

2-30  presiding officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of

2-31  Representatives and each member of the Nevada Congressional

2-32  Delegation; and be it further

2-33    Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon passage.

 

2-34  H