HR0629

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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The Social Security Fairness Act of 2003 was 
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introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives on February 
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5, 2003 as H.R. 594 and into the U.S. Senate on February 11, 
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2003 as S. 439; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The Social Security Fairness Act of 2003 amends 
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title II of the Social Security Act to repeal the  Government 
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Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The Government Pension Offset was enacted in 1977 
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and the Windfall Elimination Provision was enacted in 1983; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The majority of public employees affected by the 
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Government Pension Offset lost their entire spousal benefit 
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despite the fact that their spouses paid Social Security 
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contributions for many years; and
 
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    WHEREAS, An affected public employee loses an average of 
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$3,000 per year because of the Government Pension Offset; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The Windfall Elimination Provision causes public 
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employees to lose up to 60% of the benefits that they earned; 
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and
 
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    WHEREAS, According to the Social Security Administration's 
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actuaries, the long-term cost of eliminating both of these 
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provisions is negligible while the loss of income to affected 
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employees caused by these provisions forces some civil servants 
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into poverty; and
 
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    WHEREAS, These provisions discriminate against teachers, 
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police, firefighters, social workers, and other civil 
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servants; and
 
 


 









HR0629
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    WHEREAS, The State and national shortage of teachers, 
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police officers, and firefighters is exacerbated by these 
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provisions because they discourage people from entering and 
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staying in these professions; therefore, be it
 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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urge the U.S. Congress to pass the Social Security Fairness Act 
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of 2003 or other legislation that eliminates both the 
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Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination 
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Provision; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
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delivered to the President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, the 
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Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and each member 
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of the Illinois Congressional delegation.