[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 25 (Thursday, February 11, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E227]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT RESTORATION ACT

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                            HON. MAX SANDLIN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 11, 1999

  Mr. SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation 
addressing a serious issue for retired teachers and government 
employees across America. These public servants, after a lifetime of 
educating our youth and working for the taxpayers of America, find that 
their reward is a significant reduction in their Social Security 
benefits. It is time to end this penalty and give these retirees the 
benefits they are due.
  Retirees drawing a benefit from a private pension fund do not have 
their Social Security benefits reduced. Why should we do this to civil 
servants? We should be encouraging able and intelligent people to teach 
our children and work for the government, not discouraging them by 
slashing their retirement benefits. We must bring equity to the Social 
Security benefits of private sector and public sector retirees.
  This legislation, the Social Security Benefit Restoration Act, will 
bring this equity to retirement benefits. This bill will simply 
eliminate the public sector benefit penalty enacted in 1983 and allow 
all civil servants to draw full Social Security benefits.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring this legislation. For 
every retired government employee and retired teacher in your district 
experiencing reduced Social Security benefits, I urge your support for 
this bill.




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