Assembly Joint Resolution No. 13–Assemblymen Manendo, Goldwater, Buckley, Parks, McClain, Anderson, Angle, Arberry, Bache, Beers, Berman, Brower, Brown, Carpenter, Cegavske, Chowning, Claborn, Collins, de Braga, Dini, Freeman, Gibbons, Giunchigliani, Gustavson, Hettrick, Humke, Koivisto, Lee, Leslie, Marvel, Mortenson, Neighbors, Nolan, Oceguera, Ohrenschall, Parnell, Perkins, Price, Smith, Tiffany, Von Tobel and Williams
Joint Sponsors: Senators Titus, Schneider, Coffin, O’Connell, Carlton, Amodei, Care, Jacobsen, Mathews, McGinness, Neal, Porter, Raggio, Rawson, Rhoads, Shaffer, Townsend and Wiener
Assembly Joint RESOLUTION—Urging Congress to eliminate inequities in the payment of social security benefits based on the year that persons initially became eligible for those benefits.
Whereas, The provisions set forth in 42 U.S.C. § 415 for determining
the primary insurance amount of a person receiving social security were
amended in 1977 by Public Law 95-216; and
Whereas, The Social Security Amendments of 1977 made changes in
the benefit computation rules, resulting in disparate benefits according to
when a person initially became eligible for benefits; and
Whereas, An estimated 12 million persons who were born during the
years 1917 to 1926, inclusive, commonly referred to as “notch babies,”
receive an average of 20 percent less in social security benefits than
persons born before or after them; and
Whereas, The payment of benefits under the social security system is
not based on need or other considerations related to welfare, but on a
program of insurance based on contributions by a person and his
employer; and
Whereas, Because the discrimination among persons receiving
benefits is totally inequitable and contrary to the principles of justice and
fairness, two bills have been introduced in the House of Representatives
during the 107th session of Congress to rectify this injustice; and
Whereas, H.R. 80, known as the “Notch Baby Act of 2001,” which
provides for an improved benefit computation formula for those workers
who attain the age of 65 years during the 10-year period after 1981 and
before 1992, and their related beneficiaries, and which provides for
increases in their benefits accordingly, has been introduced to correct these
inequities; and
Whereas, H.R. 97, known as the “Notch Fairness Act of 2001,” if
enacted, would allow those workers to choose either lump sum payments
over 4 years totaling $5,000 or an improved benefit computation formula
under a new 10-year rule governing the transition to the changes in benefit
computation rules; and
Whereas, The group affected by this injustice are the senior citizens
who have been the backbone of our country and who have earned the right
to a good quality of life; and
Whereas, Those senior citizens are now facing spiraling health care
and prescription drug costs and would benefit from the passage of a bill to
rectify this inequity; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of Nevada,
Jointly, That the members of the 107th session of Congress are hereby
urged to consider the bills before them that will attempt to eliminate these
inequities and to enact appropriate legislative remedies; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and transmit
a copy of this resolution to the Vice President of the United States as
presiding officer of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and each member of the Nevada Congressional
Delegation; and be it further
Resolved, That this resolution becomes effective upon passage.
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