[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 61 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 61

Recognizing the unique effects that proposals to reform Social Security 
                           may have on women.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 1, 2005

 Ms. DeLauro (for herself, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Ms. Jackson-Lee of 
 Texas, Ms. McCollum of Minnesota, Mrs. McCarthy, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, 
Ms. Solis, Ms. Woolsey, Ms. Bordallo, Mrs. Capps, Ms. Lee, Ms. Waters, 
Ms. Kaptur, Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of California, Ms. Watson, Mrs. Lowey, 
Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Smith of 
Washington, Mr. Kennedy of Rhode Island, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Kucinich, Mr. 
Schiff, Mr. Moran of Virginia, Mr. Honda, Mr. Emanuel, Mr. Wexler, Mr. 
  Kildee, Mr. Nadler, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Stark, and Mr. Al 
Green of Texas) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
                   to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the unique effects that proposals to reform Social Security 
                           may have on women.

Whereas Social Security is a successful, efficient middle-class retirement 
        program;
Whereas Social Security provides a predictable, guaranteed benefit for women, 
        who tend to live longer than men and have fewer lifetime earnings;
Whereas the Social Security benefit structure is of particular importance to 
        low-wage women, especially widows and wives of retirees;
Whereas Social Security is the only source of retirement income for 29 percent 
        of unmarried elderly women;
Whereas women represent 58 percent of all Social Security beneficiaries aged 62 
        and older and approximately 70 percent of beneficiaries aged 85 and 
        older;
Whereas without Social Security, 52 percent of white women, 65 percent of 
        African American women, and 61 percent of Hispanic women over 65 years 
        of age would live in poverty;
Whereas women reaching age 65 in 2004 are expected to live, on average, an 
        additional 20 years compared with 17 years for men;
Whereas women's earnings relative to men are 77 percent in 2002;
Whereas at the end of 2003, women's average monthly retirement benefit was $798, 
        and men's average benefit was $1,039;
Whereas elderly women are less likely than elderly men to have significant 
        income from pensions other than Social Security; and
Whereas for unmarried women--including widows--aged 65 and older, Social 
        Security comprises 52 percent of their total income, contrasted with 38 
        percent of unmarried elderly men's retirement income and 35 percent of 
        elderly couples' income: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes the unique 
obstacles that women face in ensuring retirement security and survivor 
and disability stability and the essential role that Social Security 
plays in guaranteeing inflation-protected financial stability for women 
throughout their entire old age, and it is the sense of the House of 
Representatives that the Congress and the President should take these 
factors into account when considering proposals to reform the Social 
Security system.
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