IA
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. J. RES. 32
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the President and the Congress
should join in undertaking the Social Security Guarantee Initiative to
strengthen and protect the retirement income security of all Americans
through the creation of a fair and modern Social Security Program
for the 21st century.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 23, 1999
Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin introduced the following joint resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
JOINT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the President
and the Congress should join in undertaking the Social
Security Guarantee Initiative to strengthen and protect
the retirement income security of all Americans through
the creation of a fair and modern Social Security Pro-
gram for the 21st century.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This joint resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Social Se-
curity Guarantee Initiative’’.
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) the Social Security program provides bene-
fits to 44,000,000 Americans, including more than
27,000,000 retirees, 5,000,000 people with disabil-
ities, and 2,000,000 surviving children, and is essen-
tial to the dignity and security of the Nation’s elder-
ly, disabled, and their families;
(2) the Social Security program’s progressive
benefit structure is of particular importance to
women, due to their (A) longer life expectancies than
men, making the Social Security program’s lifetime,
inflation-adjusted benefits a critical income support
especially for widows; (B) lower average earnings;
and (C) lower pension and other retirement savings,
stemming in part from their lower incomes and their
spending an average of 11 years out of the paid
workforce caring for families;
(3) the approaching retirement of the Baby
Boom Generation will result in the Social Security
program’s benefit costs exceeding its tax revenues
beginning in 2013;
(4) the Social Security program faces looming
insolvency and instability in the next century so that
by 2032 the Social Security Trust Funds will be
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fully depleted and the program will be able to honor
less than 75 percent of benefit commitments; and
(5) prompt action is necessary to restore Ameri-
cans’ confidence that their retirement benefits will
be protected.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.
The President and the Congress should join in
strengthening and protecting the retirement income secu-
rity of all Americans through the creation of a fair and
modern Social Security program for the 21st century
that—
(1) ensures equal treatment across generations
to all Americans, especially minorities and other low-
income workers;
(2) recognizes the unique obstacles that women
face in ensuring retirement, disability, and survivor
security and the essential role that the Social Secu-
rity program plays in protecting financial stability
for women;
(3) provides a continuous benefit safety net for
workers, their survivors, their dependents, and indi-
viduals with disabilities;
(4) protects guaranteed lifetime benefits for
current retirees and those nearing retirement; and
4 (5) avoids any increase in taxes. O eHJ 32 IH