[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 85 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. J. RES. 85

    Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States 
   relating to the maintenance of a system of social insurance that 
               provides Social Security for its citizens.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 20, 2004

   Mr. Michaud introduced the following joint resolution; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
    Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States 
   relating to the maintenance of a system of social insurance that 
               provides Social Security for its citizens.

    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled 
(two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following 
article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United 
States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the 
Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the 
several States within seven years after the date of its submission for 
ratification:

                              ``Article --

                    ``maintenance of social security

    ``Section 1. The Congress shall pass no law which alters the 
fundamental structure of the Federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability 
Insurance Program (hereinafter in this article referred to as `Social 
Security') as a social insurance program which provides guaranteed 
benefits that cannot be outlived to retirees and guaranteed benefits to 
disabled workers, the families of retirees and disabled workers, and 
the survivors of deceased retirees and workers. Such benefits must be 
fully protected against inflation; they must incorporate a progressive 
benefit structure under which the benefit amount is based on the level 
of earnings a worker had during his or her working years; and they must 
be financed in a way that pools risks and rewards broadly across 
society and between generations.

              ``protection of social security trust funds

    ``Section 2. The Congress shall pass no law which diverts revenues 
from the Social Security Trust Funds, including contributions under the 
Federal Insurance Contributions Act and the Self-Employment 
Contributions Act, or uses such revenues for any purpose other than 
paying Social Security benefits and financing the administrative costs 
associated with paying such benefits.

  ``protection of benefits and prohibition on privatization of social 
                                security

    ``Section 3. The Congress shall pass no law which fully or 
partially privatizes Social Security, including the establishment of 
individual investment accounts which replace some or all of Social 
Security benefits, which directly or indirectly cause reductions in 
such benefits, or which are used to finance such benefits.''.
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