    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [February 29, 2000]
    [Page 342]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 342]]

    Letter to Congressional Leaders on Social Security Reform Legislation
    February 29, 2000

    Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. Leader:)
        I am pleased that Congress is moving forward with a bill that
    eliminates the retirement earnings test above the normal retirement age.
    As I said in my 1999 State of the Union Address, ``we should eliminate
    the limits on what seniors on Social Security can earn.'' The retirement
    earnings test was created during the Great Depression to encourage older
    workers to retire in order to open up more jobs for younger workers. As
    the baby boomers begin to retire, it is more important than ever that
    older Americans who are willing and able to work, should not have their
    Social Security benefits deferred when they do.
        We should reward every American who wants to and can stay active and
    productive. I encourage Congress to send me a clean, straightforward
    bill to eliminate the retirement earnings test above the normal
    retirement age.
        Eliminating the retirement earnings test above the normal retirement
    age is a first step toward Social Security reform. I remain committed to
    making bipartisan progress on Social Security this year. I ask Congress
    to pass legislation that would extend the solvency of Social Security to
    about 2050 while taking significant actions to reduce poverty among
    elderly women. Last year I transmitted legislation to Congress that
    would have used the interest savings earned by paying down the debt to
    make Social Security stronger. If we agree to this simple step, we can
    extend the life of Social Security to the middle of the next century
    while also modernizing Social Security to reduce poverty among elderly
    women.
        Moving forward on these two, simple steps would be a substantial
    downpayment on Social Security reform. It would demonstrate that we can
    work together, building the bipartisan trust necessary to finish the job
    of meeting the long-term Social Security challenge.
            Sincerely,

                                                          William J. Clinton

    Note: Identical letters were sent to J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the
    House of Representatives; Richard A. Gephardt, House minority leader;
    Trent Lott, Senate majority leader; and Thomas A. Daschle, Senate
    minority leader. An original was not available for verification of the
    content of this letter.