II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1799 

To amend title II of the Social Security Act to provide that the reductions 

in social security benefits which are required in the case of spouses 

and surviving spouses who are also receiving certain government pensions 

shall be equal to the amount by which two-thirds of the total amount 

of the combined monthly benefit (before reduction) and monthly pension 

exceeds $1,200, adjusted for inflation. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2005 

Ms. MIKULSKI (for herself, Mr. VOINOVICH, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. BIDEN, Mr. 

DORGAN, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. HARKIN, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. SARBANES, Mr. 

SCHUMER, and Mr. WARNER) introduced the following bill; which was 

read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance 

A BILL 

To amend title II of the Social Security Act to provide 

that the reductions in social security benefits which are 

required in the case of spouses and surviving spouses 

who are also receiving certain government pensions shall 

be equal to the amount by which two-thirds of the total 

amount of the combined monthly benefit (before reduction) and monthly pension exceeds $1,200, adjusted for 

inflation. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
2 

•S 1799 IS

1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Government Pension 

3 Offset Reform Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON REDUCTIONS IN BENEFITS FOR 

5 SPOUSES AND SURVIVING SPOUSES RECEIV6 ING GOVERNMENT PENSIONS. 

7 (a) INSURANCE BENEFITS.—Section 202(k)(5)(A) of 

8 the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(k)(5)(A)) is 

9 amended— 

10 (1) by inserting ‘‘the amount (if any) by which 

11 the sum of such benefit (before reduction under this 

12 paragraph) and’’ after ‘‘two-thirds of’’; and 

13 (2) by inserting ‘‘exceeds the amount described 

14 in paragraph (6) for such month,’’ before ‘‘if’’. 

15 (b) AMOUNT DESCRIBED.—Section 202(k) of the So16 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(k)) is amended by adding 

17 at the end the following: 

18 ‘‘(6) The amount described in this paragraph 

19 is, for months in each 12-month period beginning in 

20 December of 2005, and each succeeding calendar 

21 year, the greater of— 

22 ‘‘(A) $1,200; or 

23 ‘‘(B) the amount applicable for months in 

24 the preceding 12-month period, increased by the 

25 cost-of-living adjustment for such period deter26 mined for an annuity under section 8340 of 
3 

•S 1799 IS

1 title 5, United States Code (without regard to 

2 any other provision of law).’’. 

3 (c) LIMITATIONS ON REDUCTIONS IN BENEFITS.— 

4 Section 202(k) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

5 402(k)), as amended by subsection (b), is amended by 

6 adding at the end the following: 

7 ‘‘(7) For any month after December 2005, in 

8 no event shall an individual receive a reduction in a 

9 benefit under paragraph (5)(A) for the month that 

10 is more than the reduction in such benefit that 

11 would have applied for such month under such para12 graph as in effect on December 1, 2005.’’. 

13 SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

14 The amendments made by section 2 shall apply with 

15 respect to monthly insurance benefits payable under title 

16 II of the Social Security Act for months after December 

17 2005. 

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