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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘CPI for Seniors Act 
of 2011’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Each year the Bureau of Labor Statistics of 
the Department of Labor prepares and publishes 
consumer price indices (the most notable being the 
Consumer Price Index or ‘‘CPI’’) that measure the 
rate of inflation in the economy of the United 
States. 
(2) A derivative of the CPI is used to determine 
an annual cost-of-living adjustment (hereinafter re-
ferred to as ‘‘COLA’’) for millions of senior citizens 
(individuals aged 62 and over) who depend on their 
respective Social Security benefits. 
(3) The Social Security COLA is calculated 
using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage 
Earners and Clerical Workers (hereinafter referred 
to as ‘‘CPI–W’’), a subset of the population covered 
by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Con-
sumers (hereinafter referred to as ‘‘CPI–U’’). 
(4) While the experimental Consumer Price 
Index for Americans 62 Years of Age and Older 
(hereinafter referred to as ‘‘CPI–E’’) is a more ac-
curate measure of the average price of consumer 
goods and services purchased by senior citizens than 
the CPI–W, it too is derived from the CPI–U. 
(5) According to numerous credible authorities, 
the present methods (CPI–U, CPI–W, and CPI–E 
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to a lesser extent) used to measure inflation are 
flawed and deficient in measuring the average price 
of consumer goods and services purchased by senior 
citizens, and the overall impact of inflation on such 
citizens. 
(6) The present sampling regarding senior citi-
zens is too small under the methods referred to in 
paragraph (5), creating an opportunity for sampling 
error. 
(7) Prices used under the methods referred to 
in paragraph (5) are based on geographic areas, re-
tail outlets, and sample items used and purchased by 
younger consumers and are not necessarily rep-
resentative of the geographic areas, retail outlets, 
and sample items used and purchased by senior citi-
zens. 
(8) The locations used under the methods re-
ferred to in paragraph (5) are urban locations that 
do not reflect the economic challenges faced in rural 
communities, which often have a far larger demo-
graphic segment of senior citizens. 
(9) Senior citizens neither have the flexibility or 
the ability that younger consumers have to sub-
stitute necessary purchases in response to changes 
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in prices, nor the same options as younger con-
sumers have to supplement their income. 
(10) Premium increases for part B of Medicare, 
part D of Medicare, and other health care costs af-
fecting senior citizens are not adequately considered 
under the methods referred to in paragraph (5). 
(11) The cost of taxes on Social Security in-
come is not considered under the methods referred 
to in paragraph (5), thus putting senior citizens at 
a greater economic disadvantage each year. 
SEC. 3. MANDATE THE MONTHLY FORMULATION AND PUB-
LICATION OF A CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR 
SENIORS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW CPI.—The Bureau of 
Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor shall prepare 
and publish an index monthly to be known as the ‘‘Con-
sumer Price Index for Seniors’’ (hereinafter referred to 
as ‘‘CPI–S’’) that indicates monthly changes in expendi-
tures for consumption that are typical for individuals in 
the United States who are 62 years of age or older. 
(b) SUBMITTAL
TO CONGRESS.—The Bureau of 
Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor shall submit 
to the Joint Economic Committee a description of the ac-
tions taken by such Bureau to meet the requirements of 
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