IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1670 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to legislation relating to raising the retirement age under title II of the Social 

Security Act. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 28, 2010 

Ms. GIFFORDS (for herself, Mr. TONKO, Mr. CHILDERS, Mr. DEFAZIO, Ms. 

RICHARDSON, Ms. WATSON, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. HARE, 

Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mr. FILNER, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. RAHALL, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. FARR, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. CRITZ, Mr. DEUTCH, 

Mr. BOREN, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. 

MAFFEI, Mrs. HALVORSON, Ms. PINGREE of Maine, Mr. ARCURI, Ms. 

KILROY, Mr. WILSON of Ohio, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. KISSELL, Mr. 

SCHAUER, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. BOUCHER, Mr. NADLER

of New York, Mr. PATRICK J. MURPHY of Pennsylvania, Mr. PETERS, 

Mr. OLVER, Mr. FOSTER, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. LEWIS of 

Georgia, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. WU, Mr. STARK, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California, Mr. MITCHELL, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. BRADY of 

Pennsylvania, Mr. HALL of New York, Mr. HODES, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. SUTTON, and Mr. CUMMINGS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with 

respect to legislation relating to raising the retirement 

age under title II of the Social Security Act. 

Whereas more than 53.4 million Americans receive Social Security old-age, survivors, and disability insurance benefits, including 36.5 million retirees and their spouses, 8.2 


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
2 

•HRES 1670 IH 

million disabled persons and their spouses, 4.5 million 

surviving spouses of deceased workers, and 4.3 million 

dependent children; 

Whereas the Social Security program is America’s most successful and reliable retirement program and it continues 

to serve Americans well; 

Whereas seniors have put in a lifetime of hard work, helping 

to make our economy grow and make our Nation great, 

and they deserve a dignified and secure retirement; 

Whereas Social Security benefits have already been cut by 

gradually increasing the full retirement age from 65 for 

individuals who attained early retirement age before the 

year 2000 to 67 for individuals who will attain early retirement age in or after the year 2022; 

Whereas the physical demands of a job differ from industry 

to industry and the longevity of individuals’ lives differs 

significantly, on average, according to their level of income, education, and access to health care; 

Whereas 45 percent of workers age 58 and older are in jobs 

that are physically demanding or have difficult working 

conditions; 

Whereas, according to data from the Bureau of Labor and 

Statistics, in April 2010, the job market for Americans 

age 55 and older had never been worse; 

Whereas there has been a 17 percent increase in age discrimination cases since 2007 according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; 

Whereas Social Security benefits for retirees currently average a modest $14,000 a year, with the average for 

women receiving benefits being less than $12,000 per 

year; 


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
3 

•HRES 1670 IH 

Whereas raising the full retirement age above 67 for future 

retirees would reduce their benefits by 6 to 7 percent; 

Whereas, according to the National Academy of Social Insurance, 45 percent of women age 65 and older who live 

alone are below 150 percent of the Federal poverty level; 

and 

Whereas the Social Security program, which has a $2.5 trillion surplus, is not a cause of Federal budget deficits, 

and benefit cuts should not be proposed as a solution to 

reduce Federal deficits: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that the retirement age under title II of the 

3 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) should not 

4 be raised. 

Æ 


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS