FIRST REGULAR SESSION

House Concurrent Resolution No. 9

93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

0159L.01I

      Whereas, the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) of the federal Social Security Act penalize people who have dedicated their lives to public and military service by taking away benefits they have earned; and

            Whereas, nine out of ten public employees affected by the GPO lose their entire spousal benefit, even though their spouse paid Social Security taxes for many years; and

            Whereas, the WEP causes hard-working people to lose up to sixty percent of the benefits they earned themselves; and

            Whereas, many workers rely on misleading Social Security Administration statements that fail to take into account the GPO and WEP when projecting benefits; and

            Whereas, the impact of the GPO and WEP is not just felt in those states in which public employees, including retired veterans, are not covered by Social Security, because people move from state to state and affected individuals are everywhere; and

            Whereas, the GPO and WEP apply to Missouri retired veterans; and

            Whereas, the number of people affected across the country is growing every day as more and more people reach retirement age; and

            Whereas, some 300,000 individuals lose an average of $3,600 a year due to the GPO which can make the difference between self-sufficiency and poverty; and

            Whereas, these people have less money to spend in their local economy and sometimes have to turn to expensive government programs like food stamps to make ends meet; and

            Whereas, the nation should respect, not penalize, public and military service; and

            Whereas, the GPO and WEP are established in federal law and repeal of the GPO and WEP can only be enacted by the United States Congress:

            Now, therefore, be it resolved that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-third General Assembly, First Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby urge the Congress of the United States to immediately repeal the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision of the Social Security Act; and

            Be it further resolved that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare properly inscribed copies of this resolution for the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and the members of the Missouri Congressional delegation.