PRINTER'S NO. 2013
No. 200 Session of 1998
INTRODUCED BY SCHWARTZ, AFFLERBACH, BELAN, BODACK, O'PAKE,
COSTA, KASUNIC, RHOADES, MELLOW AND HUGHES, MAY 22, 1998
REFERRED TO AGING AND YOUTH, MAY 22, 1998
A RESOLUTION
1 Supporting the use of the Federal budget surplus to save Social
2 Security.
3 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania seniors, numbering more than 2 million,
4 are an integral part of this Commonwealth; and
5 WHEREAS, Seniors rely on Social Security benefits to provide
6 financial security in their retirement years; and
7 WHEREAS, Commonwealth seniors who are retired and those
8 people with disabilities as well as their families and survivors
9 are afforded the opportunity to live full and meaningful lives
10 as a result of the Social Security System; and
11 WHEREAS, Since 1935 the Social Security System has driven the
12 poverty rate of seniors from an average of almost 35% in 1959 to
13 just 10.8% in 1996; and
14 WHEREAS, Social Security benefits represent more than 75% of
15 income of those elderly households in the bottom 40% of our
16 nation's income distribution; and
17 WHEREAS, The nearing retirement of the baby boom generation
1 will cause a tremendous strain on the Social Security Trust
2 Fund; and
3 WHEREAS, The Social Security Trustees report estimates that
4 the trust fund will start to fall in 2019 and be totally
5 depleted by 2029; and
6 WHEREAS, By the year 2030 the Social Security System will be
7 barely capable of paying 75% of current benefits to seniors as a
8 result of a ratio of worker to beneficiary of fewer than two
9 workers for every senior; and
10 WHEREAS, The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP),
11 National Council of Senior Citizens (NCSC) and Action Alliance
12 for Senior Citizens are calling for any Federal budget surplus
13 to be appropriated for the sole purpose of ensuring the fiscal
14 soundness of the Social Security System; therefore be it
15 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
16 support the use of any Federal budget surplus to strengthen the
17 Social Security System; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
19 urge elected and appointed officials of the Commonwealth to
20 support the use of the Federal budget surplus to safeguard the
21 Social Security System; and be it further
22 RESOLVED, That the AARP, NCSC, Action Alliance for Senior
23 Citizens and other committed organizations be commended for
24 their work to preserve the Social Security System; and be it
25 further
26 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
27 memorialize the Congress of the United States to make the
28 financial security of the Social Security System its first
29 priority when appropriating any funds related to the Federal
30 budget surplus and not put any tax cut or spending increase
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1 ahead of America's seniors, and that those members of the
2 Pennsylvania Congressional delegation who have previously gone
3 on record in support of using the budget surplus for any other
4 purpose than saving Social Security remove their support from
5 such a proposal; and be it further
6 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
7 the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
8 member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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