[ Back ] [ Bottom ]
91_SJ0032
SRS91SJ0010ABsa
1 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, Social Security provides American workers and
3 their families with universal, contributory, wage-related,
4 inflation-adjusted benefits in the event of the retirement,
5 disability or death of a wage earner; and
6 WHEREAS, Social Security is more than a retirement
7 program, it is a family program. Without Social Security,
8 about 54 percent of the population aged 65 and over, and more
9 than 15 million beneficiaries overall, would be living in
10 poverty. About 98 percent of children under age 18 can count
11 on monthly cash benefits if a working parent dies. Seven and
12 a half million Americans with disabilities currently benefit
13 from the program; and
14 WHEREAS, Throughout its existence as a federal program,
15 Social Security's trustees and administrators have carefully
16 modified the benefit and financing structure to ensure the
17 program's viability in light of demographic and economic
18 developments; and
19 WHEREAS, Congressional leaders and the President are
20 seeking to engage the American people in a dialogue about
21 Social Security that could lead toward enactment of
22 bipartisan legislation ensuring Social Security's long-term
23 solvency; and
24 WHEREAS, Social Security is not in crisis and, without
25 any changes, could pay full benefits until 2032 and 75
26 percent of benefits thereafter based on the most recent
27 projections of the Social Security Board of Trustees; and
28 WHEREAS, The long-term solvency of Social Security can be
29 ensured for future generations with measured and timely
30 adjustments to the program made by Congress.
31 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIRST GENERAL
-2- SRS91SJ0010ABsa
1 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF
2 REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Congress of the
3 United States of America is hereby petitioned to preserve
4 Social Security as universal, mandatory, contributory social
5 insurance system where risk is pooled among all workers; and
6 be it further
7 RESOLVED, That the Congress of the United States of
8 America be urged to ensure the long term financial viability
9 of Social Security, as described above, and restore public
10 confidence in the future of the program; and be it further
11 RESOLVED, That Social Security must continue as a federal
12 program; having a unified program allows for the portability
13 of benefits, disability and family support protections, and
14 maximum retirement security for low and moderate wage
15 earners; and be it further
16 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
17 delivered to the President of the United States Senate, the
18 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and
19 each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.
[ Top ]