ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 6, 1995 TAG: 9512060085
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-7 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
Every year, the government penalizes Martin Rich for working. At least that's the way Rich sees it.
``I want to work and I need to work,'' said Rich, who lives in Margate, Fla. ``I would truly like to get what I'm working for.''
Rich, 67, sells men's shirts and slacks at Burdines department store in Coral Springs, Fla. He could use more money, but he's trying not to earn much more than $11,280 this year - because after that, he loses $1 in Social Security retirement benefits for every $3 he makes.
Lawmakers in Congress are trying to change that.
Tuesday, the House approved a measure that could boost Social Security benefits for an estimated 1 million older Americans who are still working. The ``Senior Citizens Right to Work Act'' eventually would allow them to earn up to $30,000 a year without a cut in benefits.
The House approved the measure 411-4. The Senate takes up the issue next.
The House measure would raise the earnings ceiling to $14,000 next year, gradually increasing to $30,000 by 2002.
The proposal would mean about $7 billion in additional benefits to working seniors over seven years, according to the House Ways and Means Committee. But the proposed legislation is designed to pay for itself.
The cost will be offset, for example, by changing the way benefits are computed for people who return to work after retiring on Social Security. Now, what they earn when they go back to work is added to their lifetime earnings record, which translates into a higher benefit the next year.
Under the House proposal, they would have to wait an extra year for the increase. That would save $1.2 billion over the seven years, said Ari Fleischer, Ways and Means spokesman.
The bill also would deny disability payments - both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income - to people receiving them because of alcoholism or drug addiction. That would save another $1.9 billion.
And it would provide money for staffing, training and other things needed to help the Social Security Administration review disability claims more rapidly and ``enable them to more quickly move people off of disability and back into their jobs,'' Fleischer said. The estimated savings: $2.6 billion.
LENGTH: Short : 49 linesby CNB