[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 82 (Thursday, May 16, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S2923]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS

  The following petition or memorial was laid before the Senate and was 
referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:

       POM-60. A concurrent resolution adopted by the Legislature 
     of the State of Louisiana urging the United States Congress 
     to take such actions as are necessary to review and consider 
     eliminating provisions of federal law which reduce Social 
     Security benefits for those receiving pension benefits from 
     certain federal, state, or local government retirement or 
     pension systems, plans, or funds; to the Committee on 
     Finance.

                   House Concurrent Resolution No. 20

       Whereas, the Congress of the United States of America has 
     enacted both the Government Pension Offset (GPO), reducing 
     the spousal and survivor Social Security benefit, and the 
     Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), reducing the earned 
     Social Security benefits payable to any person who also 
     receives a public pension benefit; and
       Whereas, the GPO negatively affects a spouse or survivor 
     receiving a federal, state, or local government retirement or 
     pension benefit who would also be entitled to a Social 
     Security benefit earned by a spouse; and
       Whereas, the GPO formula reduces the spousal or survivor 
     Social Security benefit by two-thirds of the amount of the 
     federal, state, or local government retirement or pension 
     benefit received by the spouse or survivor, in many cases 
     completely eliminating the Social Security benefit even 
     though their spouses paid Social Security taxes for many 
     years; and
       Whereas, the GPO has a harsh effect on hundreds of 
     thousands of citizens and undermines the original purpose of 
     the Social Security dependent/survivor benefit; and
       Whereas, according to recent Social Security Administration 
     figures, more than half a million individuals nationally are 
     affected by the GPO; and
       Whereas, the WEP applies to those persons who have earned 
     federal, state, or local government retirement or pension 
     benefits, in addition to working in employment covered under 
     Social Security and paying into the Social Security system; 
     and
       Whereas, the WEP reduces the earned Social Security benefit 
     using an averaged indexed monthly earnings formula and may 
     reduce Social Security benefits for affected persons by as 
     much as one-half of the retirement benefit earned as a public 
     servant in employment not covered under Social Security; and
       Whereas, the WEP causes hardworking individuals to lose a 
     significant portion of the Social Security benefits that they 
     earn themselves; and
       Whereas, according to recent Social Security Administration 
     figures, more than one and a half million individuals 
     nationally are affected by the WEP; and
       Whereas, in certain circumstances both the WEP and GPO can 
     be applied to a qualifying survivor's benefit, each 
     independently reducing the available benefit and in 
     combination eliminating a large portion of the total Social 
     Security benefit available to the survivor; and
       Whereas, because of the calculation characteristics of the 
     GPO and the WEP, they have a disproportionately negative 
     effect on employees working in lower-wage government jobs, 
     like policemen, firefighters, teachers, and state employees; 
     and
       Whereas, Louisiana is making every effort to improve the 
     quality of life of its citizens and to encourage them to live 
     here lifelong, yet the current GPO and WEP provisions 
     compromise their quality of life; and
       Whereas, the number of people affected by GPO and WEP is 
     growing every day as more and more people reach retirement 
     age; and
       Whereas, individuals drastically affected by the GPO or WEP 
     may have no choice but to return to work after retirement in 
     order to make ends meet, but the earnings accumulated during 
     this return to work can further reduce the Social Security 
     benefits the individual is entitled to; and
       Whereas, the GPO and WEP are established in federal law, 
     and repeal of the GPO and the WEP can only be enacted by 
     congress: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 
     memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions 
     as are necessary to review the Government Pension Offset and 
     the Windfall Elimination Provision Social Security benefit 
     reductions and to consider eliminating or reducing them; and 
     be it further
       Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to 
     the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives of the Congress of the United States of 
     America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional 
     delegation.

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