[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 9 (Monday, March 6, 2000)]
[Pages 417-418]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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

[[Page 418]]

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.