I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1086 

To mandate the monthly formulation and publication of a consumer price 

index specifically for senior citizens for the purpose of establishing an 

accurate Social Security COLA for such citizens. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 15, 2011 

Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee (for himself, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. HARPER, Mr. 

TONKO, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, and 

Mr. SABLAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To mandate the monthly formulation and publication of a 

consumer price index specifically for senior citizens for 

the purpose of establishing an accurate Social Security 

COLA for such citizens. 

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘CPI for Seniors Act 

5 of 2011’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 The Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) Each year the Bureau of Labor Statistics of 

2 the Department of Labor prepares and publishes 

3 consumer price indices (the most notable being the 

4 Consumer Price Index or ‘‘CPI’’) that measure the 

5 rate of inflation in the economy of the United 

6 States. 

7 (2) A derivative of the CPI is used to determine 

8 an annual cost-of-living adjustment (hereinafter re9 ferred to as ‘‘COLA’’) for millions of senior citizens 

10 (individuals aged 62 and over) who depend on their 

11 respective Social Security benefits. 

12 (3) The Social Security COLA is calculated 

13 using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage 

14 Earners and Clerical Workers (hereinafter referred 

15 to as ‘‘CPI–W’’), a subset of the population covered 

16 by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Con17 sumers (hereinafter referred to as ‘‘CPI–U’’). 

18 (4) While the experimental Consumer Price 

19 Index for Americans 62 Years of Age and Older 

20 (hereinafter referred to as ‘‘CPI–E’’) is a more ac21 curate measure of the average price of consumer 

22 goods and services purchased by senior citizens than 

23 the CPI–W, it too is derived from the CPI–U. 

24 (5) According to numerous credible authorities, 

25 the present methods (CPI–U, CPI–W, and CPI–E 


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1 to a lesser extent) used to measure inflation are 

2 flawed and deficient in measuring the average price 

3 of consumer goods and services purchased by senior 

4 citizens, and the overall impact of inflation on such 

5 citizens. 

6 (6) The present sampling regarding senior citi7 zens is too small under the methods referred to in 

8 paragraph (5), creating an opportunity for sampling 

9 error. 

10 (7) Prices used under the methods referred to 

11 in paragraph (5) are based on geographic areas, re12 tail outlets, and sample items used and purchased by 

13 younger consumers and are not necessarily rep14 resentative of the geographic areas, retail outlets, 

15 and sample items used and purchased by senior citi16 zens. 

17 (8) The locations used under the methods re18 ferred to in paragraph (5) are urban locations that 

19 do not reflect the economic challenges faced in rural 

20 communities, which often have a far larger demo21 graphic segment of senior citizens. 

22 (9) Senior citizens neither have the flexibility or 

23 the ability that younger consumers have to sub24 stitute necessary purchases in response to changes 


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1 in prices, nor the same options as younger con2 sumers have to supplement their income. 

3 (10) Premium increases for part B of Medicare, 

4 part D of Medicare, and other health care costs af5 fecting senior citizens are not adequately considered 

6 under the methods referred to in paragraph (5). 

7 (11) The cost of taxes on Social Security in8 come is not considered under the methods referred 

9 to in paragraph (5), thus putting senior citizens at 

10 a greater economic disadvantage each year. 

11 SEC. 3. MANDATE THE MONTHLY FORMULATION AND PUB12 LICATION OF A CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR 

13 SENIORS. 

14 (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW CPI.—The Bureau of 

15 Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor shall prepare 

16 and publish an index monthly to be known as the ‘‘Con17 sumer Price Index for Seniors’’ (hereinafter referred to 

18 as ‘‘CPI–S’’) that indicates monthly changes in expendi19 tures for consumption that are typical for individuals in 

20 the United States who are 62 years of age or older. 

21 (b) SUBMITTAL TO CONGRESS.—The Bureau of 

22 Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor shall submit 

23 to the Joint Economic Committee a description of the ac24 tions taken by such Bureau to meet the requirements of 


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1 this section not later than 6 months after the date of en2 actment of this Act, and semi-annually thereafter. 

3 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

4 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec5 essary to carry out the provisions of this section. 

Æ 


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