1-1                                     1                                  
 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 497
 1-3           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
 1-4     recognize the Texas Retired Teachers Association whose members have
 1-5     made tremendous contributions to the people of the State of Texas;
 1-6     and
 1-7           WHEREAS, The Texas Retired Teachers Association is leading a
 1-8     drive to repeal the Government Pension Offset, which was enacted by
 1-9     Congress in 1977 and modified somewhat in subsequent amendments to
1-10     the Social Security Act; and
1-11           WHEREAS, The Government Pension Offset law states that if a
1-12     person worked for a federal, state, or local governmental entity,
1-13     such as a school district, and did not pay Social Security taxes,
1-14     the pension that person receives from that entity such as the
1-15     Teacher Retirement System, will reduce any Social Security spousal
1-16     benefits the person is entitled to by two-thirds; and
1-17           WHEREAS, The Government Pension Offset unfairly separates
1-18     305,000 workers with governmental pensions from those with private
1-19     pensions by reducing their earned Social Security benefits by
1-20     two-thirds or in some cases, completely; and
1-21           WHEREAS, After surveying the 46,000 members of the Texas
1-22     Retired Teachers Association, it was found that the members wanted
1-23     total repeal of the Government Pension Offset; and
 2-1           WHEREAS, The Congressional Budget Office's analysis of the
 2-2     Government Pension Offset revealed that 70 percent of the affected
 2-3     beneficiaries in the data were women, and women were more likely
 2-4     than men to experience a reduction of their benefits; and
 2-5           WHEREAS, The Government Pension Offset affects educators,
 2-6     police officers, firefighters, and city and county employees who
 2-7     worked for governmental entities that elected not to pay Social
 2-8     Security on their employees; now, therefore, be it
 2-9           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
2-10     77th Legislature, hereby encourage the Texas Retired Teachers
2-11     Association in its efforts to have the Government Pension Offset
2-12     repealed; and, be it further
2-13           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as an
2-14     expression of support from the Texas Senate.
2-15                                                              Armbrister
2-16                                  ______________________________________
2-17                                          President of the Senate
2-18                                       I hereby certify that the above
2-19                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
2-20                                  on March 19, 2001.
2-21                                  ______________________________________
2-22                                          Secretary of the Senate
2-23                                  ______________________________________
2-24                                           Member, Texas Senate