I

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1217

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 the total amount of the combined

monthly benefit (before reduction) and monthly pension exceeds $1,200.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 23, 1999

Mr. JEFFERSON (for himself, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. ALLEN,

Mr. BALDACCI, Mr. BEREUTER, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. BISHOP, Mr. BONIOR,

Mr. BOUCHER, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. BROWN of California,

Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. BRYANT, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. CAPUANO, Mrs.

CHRISTENSEN, Mr. CLAY, Mrs. CLAYTON, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. COSTELLO,

Mr. COYNE, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. DELAHUNT, Ms.

DELAURO, Mr. DICKS, Mr. DIXON, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. ENGEL, Mr.

ENGLISH, Mr. ETHERIDGE, Mr. FARR of California, Mr. FILNER, Mr.

FOLEY, Mr. FORBES, Mr. FORD, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr.

FROST, Mr. GEJDENSON, Mr. GILLMOR, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. GOODE, Mr.

GREEN of Texas, Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. HALL of Ohio, Mr.

HAYWORTH, Mr. HILLIARD, Mr. HINCHEY, Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon, Mr.

HOYER, Mr. INSLEE, Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut, Mrs. JONES of Ohio,

Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. KILDEE, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. KLECZKA, Mr.

KUCINICH, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. LATOURETTE, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr.

LIPINSKI, Ms. LOFGREN, Mrs. LOWEY, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. MCINTYRE,

Mr. MASCARA, Mr. MATSUI, Mrs. MEEK of Florida, Ms. MILLENDERMCDONALD, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mrs. MINK of Hawaii,

Mr. MOAKLEY, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mrs. MORELLA, Mr. NADLER,

Mr. NEY, Ms. NORTON, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. OLVER, Mr. PALLONE, Mr.

PASCRELL, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. RANGEL, Mr.

SANDERS, Mr. SANDLIN, Mr. SAWYER, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. SHERMAN,

Mr. SHOWS, Mr. SISISKY, Mr. SKELTON, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. SMITH

of Washington, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. SPRATT, Ms. STABENOW,

Mr. STARK, Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mrs. THURMAN, Mr. TRAFICANT, Mr. TURNER, Mr. UNDERWOOD, Mr. WATKINS, Mr. WATT of North Carolina, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr.

WEXLER, Mr. WEYGAND, Mr. WISE, Mr. WOLF, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr.

WYNN, Mr. RUSH, and Mr. STRICKLAND) introduced the following bill;

which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
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•HR 1217 IH

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 the total amount of

the combined monthly benefit (before reduction) and

monthly pension exceeds $1,200.

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

3 SECTION 1. LIMITATION ON REDUCTIONS IN BENEFITS

4 FOR SPOUSES AND SURVIVING SPOUSES RE5 CEIVING GOVERNMENT PENSIONS.

6 (a) WIFE’S INSURANCE BENEFITS.—Section

7 202(b)(4)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.

8 402(b)(4)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘an amount equal

9 to two thirds of the amount of’’ and inserting the fol10 lowing: ‘‘the government pension reduction amount (as de11 fined in section 216(m)) determined in connection with’’.

12 (b) HUSBAND’S INSURANCE BENEFITS.—Section

13 202(c)(2)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 402(c)(2)(A)) is

14 amended by striking ‘‘an amount equal to two thirds of

15 the amount of’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘the govern16 ment pension reduction amount (as defined in section

17 216(m)) determined in connection with’’.
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•HR 1217 IH

1 (c) WIDOW’S INSURANCE BENEFITS.—Section

2 202(e)(7)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 402(e)(7)(A)) is

3 amended by striking ‘‘an amount equal to two thirds of

4 the amount of’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘the govern5 ment pension reduction amount (as defined in section

6 216(m)) determined in connection with’’.

7 (d) WIDOWER’S INSURANCE BENEFITS.—Section

8 202(f)(2)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 402(f)(2)(A)) is

9 amended by striking ‘‘an amount equal to two thirds of

10 the amount of’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘the govern11 ment pension reduction amount (as defined in section

12 216(m)) determined in connection with’’.

13 (e) MOTHER’S AND FATHER’S INSURANCE BENE14 FITS.—Section 202(g)(4)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C.

15 402(g)(4)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘an amount equal

16 to two thirds of the amount of’’ and inserting the fol17 lowing: ‘‘the government pension reduction amount (as de18 fined in section 216(m)) determined in connection with’’.

19 (f) GOVERNMENT PENSION REDUCTION AMOUNT.—

20 Section 216 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 416) is amended by

21 adding at the end the following new subsection:

22 ‘‘Government Pension Reduction Amount

23 ‘‘(m)(1) The term ‘government pension reduction

24 amount’ means, with respect to a benefit for any month,

25 the lesser of—
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•HR 1217 IH

1 ‘‘(A) the amount (if any) by which—

2 ‘‘(i) the sum of such benefit (before reduc3 tion under subsection (b)(4)(A), (c)(2)(A),

4 (e)(7)(A), (f)(2)(A), or (g)(4)(A)) and the

5 amount of any monthly periodic benefit payable

6 to the beneficiary for such month which is

7 based upon the beneficiary’s earnings while in

8 the service of the Federal Government or any

9 State (or political subdivision thereof, as de10 fined in section 218(b)(2)), exceeds

11 ‘‘(ii) the reduction base amount, or

12 ‘‘(B) an amount equal to two-thirds of the

13 amount of any such monthly periodic benefit.

14 ‘‘(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the term ‘reduc15 tion base amount’ means, in connection with a benefit for

16 a month during any calendar year, the greater of—

17 ‘‘(A) $1,200, or

18 ‘‘(B) the amount determined under this para19 graph in connection with benefits for months in the

20 preceding calendar year, increased by the percent

21 change described in section 8340(b) of title 5,

22 United States Code (determined without regard to

23 any other provision of law) taking effect on Decem24 ber 1 of such preceding calendar year.’’.
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•HR 1217 IH

1 SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.

2 The amendments made by section 1 shall apply with

3 respect to monthly insurance benefits payable under title

4 II of the Social Security Act for months ending after the

5 date of the enactment of this Act.

Æ