IV 112th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 64 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 8, 2011 Mr. Ellison (for himself, Mr. Honda, Ms. Woolsey, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Conyers, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Deutch, Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Brown of Florida, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Matsui, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Sewell, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Richardson, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Tonko, Mrs. Christensen, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Olver, and Mr. Rahall) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that Social Security benefits should not be reduced.

Whereas Social Security provides essential financial support to 54.8 million people in the United States, including 35.1 million retired workers in the Nation; Whereas Social Security provides modest benefits averaging $14,000 per year for retired workers, based on contributions paid into Social Security over a worker’s lifetime of employment; Whereas Social Security can pay full benefits through 2035; Whereas Social Security has no borrowing authority, currently has $2.7 trillion in accumulated assets, and, therefore, does not contribute to the Federal budget deficit; and Whereas the citizens of the United States deserve thoughtful and fair Social Security reform to protect current and future benefits and to ensure ongoing retirement security for seniors, protections for persons who become disabled, and benefits for the young children and spouses of deceased and disabled workers: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of Congress that appropriate reform to strengthen Social Security’s long-term outlook should happen in a bipartisan fashion and should ensure that Social Security remains a critical source of protection for the people of the United States and their families without further increasing the retirement age or otherwise decreasing benefits.