EARNINGS LIMIT BILL IN THE SENATE: CRITICAL ACTION NEEDED!! FROM: James
Gashel, National Federation of the Blind
Director of Governmental Affairs DATE: December 15, 1995
The Senate bill on the Social Security earnings limit is now S. 1470.
Under this bill the linkage of earnings limits for blind people and
seniors is broken. By the year 2002 the senior citizens' exempt amount
would be $30,000. The earnings limit placed on blind people would be less
than half that amount.
S. 1470 has been approved by the Senate Finance Committee. It is
immediately available for action on the Senate floor. Because of certain
provisions in the bill it will be subject to a point-of-order in the
Senate. This means that a "super-majority" of 60 votes will be required
in order for the bill to be considered. The vote on the point-of-order
will be extremely close. If 60 Senators do not vote to consider the bill,
the earnings limit will remain unchanged for the time being, and the
linkage will remain intact. That is one possible outcome.
If the bill survives the point-of-order, amendments will then be
considered. Senator Jeff Bingaman from New Mexico will be offering an
amendment to retain the linkage of earnings limits for blind persons. All
Senators should be urged to support the Bingaman amendment to S. 1470.
Senators should also be urged to cosponsor the amendment. For information
and cosponsoring they should contact Wayne Propst in Senator Bingaman's
office. The telephone number is 224-1803.
Prospects for passage of the Bingaman amendment are extremely good.
Passage will be a certainty if we do our work well. The critical votes
could come in the Senate at any time. Therefore, call and fax to ask for
every Senator's vote in favor of the Bingaman amendment to S. 1470. The
next several days before the Congress leaves for this year are critical.
Everyone must do all in his or her power in order for us to win.
/mrb
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