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. MILLENDER-
MCDONALD, 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 Mis-
sissippi, Mrs. THURMAN, Mr. TRAFICANT, Mr. TURNER, Mr. UNDER-
WOOD, 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
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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. LIMITATION ON REDUCTIONS IN BENEFITS
FOR SPOUSES AND SURVIVING SPOUSES RE-
CEIVING GOVERNMENT PENSIONS.
(a) 
WIFE’S
INSURANCE
BENEFITS.—Section
202(b)(4)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
402(b)(4)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘an amount equal
to two thirds of the amount of’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: ‘‘the government pension reduction amount (as de-
fined in section 216(m)) determined in connection with’’.
(b) HUSBAND’S
INSURANCE
BENEFITS.—Section
202(c)(2)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 402(c)(2)(A)) is
amended by striking ‘‘an amount equal to two thirds of
the amount of’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘the govern-
ment pension reduction amount (as defined in section
216(m)) determined in connection with’’.
(c) 
WIDOW’S
INSURANCE
BENEFITS.—Section
202(e)(7)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 402(e)(7)(A)) is
amended by striking ‘‘an amount equal to two thirds of
the amount of’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘the govern-
ment pension reduction amount (as defined in section
216(m)) determined in connection with’’.
(d) WIDOWER’S
INSURANCE
BENEFITS.—Section
202(f)(2)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 402(f)(2)(A)) is
amended by striking ‘‘an amount equal to two thirds of
the amount of’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘the govern-
ment pension reduction amount (as defined in section
216(m)) determined in connection with’’.
(e) MOTHER’S AND FATHER’S INSURANCE BENE-
FITS.—Section 202(g)(4)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
402(g)(4)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘an amount equal
to two thirds of the amount of’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: ‘‘the government pension reduction amount (as de-
fined in section 216(m)) determined in connection with’’.
(f) GOVERNMENT PENSION REDUCTION AMOUNT.—
Section 216 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 416) is amended by
adding at the end the following new subsection:
‘‘Government Pension Reduction Amount
‘‘(m)(1) The term ‘government pension reduction
amount’ means, with respect to a benefit for any month,
the lesser of—
‘‘(A) the amount (if any) by which—
‘‘(i) the sum of such benefit (before reduc-
tion under subsection (b)(4)(A), (c)(2)(A),
(e)(7)(A), (f)(2)(A), or (g)(4)(A)) and the
amount of any monthly periodic benefit payable
to the beneficiary for such month which is
based upon the beneficiary’s earnings while in
the service of the Federal Government or any
State (or political subdivision thereof, as de-
fined in section 218(b)(2)), exceeds
‘‘(ii) the reduction base amount, or
‘‘(B) an amount equal to two-thirds of the
amount of any such monthly periodic benefit.
‘‘(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the term ‘reduc-
tion base amount’ means, in connection with a benefit for
a month during any calendar year, the greater of—
‘‘(A) $1,200, or
‘‘(B) the amount determined under this para-
graph in connection with benefits for months in the
preceding calendar year, increased by the percent
change described in section 8340(b) of title 5,
United States Code (determined without regard to
any other provision of law) taking effect on Decem-
ber 1 of such preceding calendar year.’’.
SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by section 1 shall apply with
respect to monthly insurance benefits payable under title
II of the Social Security Act for months ending after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
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