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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The U.S. Congress amended title II of the Social
3 Security Act in 1977 to enact the Government Pension Offset and
4 in 1983 to enact the Windfall Elimination Provision; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The majority of public employees affected by the
6 Government Pension Offset lost their entire spousal benefit
7 despite the fact that their spouses paid Social Security
8 contributions for many years; and
 
9     WHEREAS, The Windfall Elimination Provision causes public
10 employees to lose up to 60% of the benefits that they earned;
11 and
 
12     WHEREAS, According to the Social Security Administration's
13 actuaries, the long-term cost of eliminating both of these
14 provisions is negligible while the loss of income to affected
15 employees caused by these provisions forces some civil servants
16 into poverty; and
 
17     WHEREAS, These provisions discriminate against teachers,
18 police, firefighters, social workers, and other civil
19 servants; and
 
20     WHEREAS, The State and national shortage of teachers,

 

 

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1 police officers, and firefighters is exacerbated by these
2 provisions because they discourage people from entering and
3 staying in these professions; therefore, be it
 
4     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
5 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the U.S.
6 Congress to pass legislation that eliminates both the
7 Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination
8 Provision; and be it further
 
9     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
10 delivered to the President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, the
11 Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and each member
12 of the Illinois Congressional delegation.