I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 887

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 $2,000. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 25, 2003

Mr. JEFFERSON (for himself, Mr. PAUL, Mr. KANJORSKI, Mr. TAUZIN, Ms. 

SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. 

FRANK of Massachusetts, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. 

NEAL of Massachusetts, Mr. GORDON, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. OBERSTAR, 

Mr. VITTER, Mr. POMEROY, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. WYNN, Mr. DELAHUNT, 

Mr. KIND, Mr. FARR, Mr. MOORE, Mr. NADLER, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. 

SMITH of Washington, Mr. SNYDER, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. JOHN, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. MEEHAN, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. 

MCNULTY, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, Mr. RUSH, Mr. 

MCGOVERN, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. BERMAN, Ms. CARSON of Indiana, Ms. BALDWIN, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New 

York, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island, 

Mr. HOLT, Mr. SANDLIN, Mr. EVANS, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. BOYD, Mr. 

DEUTSCH, Mr. SANDERS, Ms. LINDA T. SA ́NCHEZ of California, Mr. 

FORD, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. BOSWELL, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. HALL, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mrs. 

MALONEY, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. BAKER, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. DOOLEY of California, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. REYES, Mr. KLECZKA, Mr. ORTIZ, Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico, Mr. ROTHMAN, Mr. FOLEY, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. 

STRICKLAND, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. TURNER of Texas, Mr. 

ACKERMAN, Mr. WEINER, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. TOOMEY, 

Mr. DOYLE, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. RANGEL, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. PICKERING, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, and Ms. KAPTUR) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 
2

•HR 887 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 $2,000.

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 887 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 887 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) $2,000, 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.’’. 
5

•HR 887 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.

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