[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 204 (Tuesday, December 19, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2415]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          TAX RELIEF AND THE RIGHT TO WORK FOR OLDER AMERICANS

                                 ______


                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 19, 1995

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN, Mr. Speaker, today I rise to commend the House of 
Representatives for passing H.R. 2684, the Senior Citizens' Right to 
Work Act of 1995, which ends the practice of punishing older Americans 
who want to work.
  Earlier this year, I promised the one million working, older 
Americans financial relief from the punitive Social Security earnings 
limit which is wrongly imposed on them. H.R. 2684, fulfills my promise 
by increasing the earnings limit to $30,000 by the year 2002. Today, 
many people across the Nation want or need to work beyond the age of 64 
because a fixed Social Security income alone cannot provide adequate 
financial resources.
  This Nation has a tremendous amount of talent available in its older 
Americans. Younger people in the workplace gain a lot through the 
experience of these individuals who continue to work. Simply put, 
lifting the earnings limit is the right thing to do because it is good 
for all of us.
  When fully phased in, the Senior Citizens' Right to Work Act will 
exempt about 50 percent of the people who currently have to comply with 
the earnings limit. These individuals have worked hard to pay into the 
Social Security trust fund. This legislation keeps our promise to lift 
the earnings limit for older people so they can continue to contribute 
to our Nation.

                          ____________________