Senior Citizens' Freedom to Work Act
Latest action. Committed to Senate Committee on Finance pursuant to Section 312(b) of the Congressional Budget Act.
Senior Citizens' Freedom to Work Act - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to increase the monthly exempt amount, under the earnings test, for individuals who have attained retirement age. Sets forth the schedule of monthly adjustments increasing from $1,208 for taxable year 1996 to $2,500 for taxable year 2002. Subjects such increased amounts to current law cost-of-living adjustments after 2002. Requires the Managing Trustee of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund to increase by a specified percentage per year the rate of interest borne by public-debt obligations issued for purchase by the OASDI trust funds between September 30, 1995, and October 1, 2002. Provides that each nonexempt account within the discretionary spending category for each of FY 1996 through 2002 shall be reduced, if necessary, by the uniform percentage necessary to offset the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund shortfall resulting from the amendments of this Act increasing the monthly exempt amount. Directs the Comptroller General to analyze and report to the Congress on the dynamic effect of the revision of the social security earnings limit made by this Act and a calculation of its true effect on the Federal budget.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on October 31, 1995. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on November 2, 1995: Committed to Senate Committee on Finance pursuant to Section 312(b) of the Congressional Budget Act.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 104th Congress (1995-96), 333 of the 6,806 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ) introduced it on October 31, 1995, and 3 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They are 3 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on October 31, 1995, 11273 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 11271 days ago, on November 2, 1995.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 104th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1997 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers