HR0805 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0805 LRB102 27143 MST 38637 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The federal Social Security Act includes two provisions, the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision, that reduce the Social Security benefits payable to persons who are entitled to benefits under the public retirement systems of the State under certain conditions; and

WHEREAS, These provisions penalize individuals who dedicate the majority of their productive years to public service to the State of Illinois, including educators, police officers, and firefighters; and

WHEREAS, These provisions remove benefits that public employees or their spouses have earned by paying into the Social Security system; and

WHEREAS, These provisions often leave public employees facing poverty in their retirement; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois benefits with the recruitment of the best and most able individuals for public employment but is hindered from doing so because of the offset penalties; and

WHEREAS, These provisions discourage individuals from moving from private sector employment into positions of public employment; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we encourage and support action by the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to repeal the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision from the Social Security Act or to reduce the effects thereof; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the President of the United States, the U.S. Senate Majority Leader, the U.S. Senate Minority Leader, the U.S. Speaker of the House, the U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader, and all members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation.