On Seniors Congressman Jim Nussle and the full House today passed the final version of the Senior Citizens' Freedom to Work Act of 2000, which now goes to President Clinton. Nussle, who is an original cosponsor of the bill, noted that the current Social Security Earnings Limit affects more than 26,000 seniors in Iowa's Second Congressional District who are between the ages of 65 and 70. The compromise bill ensures that seniors not lose any Social Security benefits for any portion of the year they reach age 65.
Seniors are some of the most productive workers in our economy.
It's about time Congress used a little common sense and put this relic of a law in the history books with the rest of the Depression memorabilia. Nussle noted that some senior citizens are forced to work past retirement age, because they don't have money or property to supplement Social Security for their retirement income. Other senior citizens choose to continue working past retirement age, because they enjoy their work and they enjoy staying active. Social Security is not intended to serve as a senior's sole retirement income. That's why we must stop penalizing seniors who are forced to work past retirement age just to make ends meet.