Peter Fitzgerald on Social Security
Earnings Limit Penalized Seniors
[Seniors must] forego their benefits [if they] supplement their fixed incomes by working. This is not a choice our government should ask our seniors to make. The earnings limit forced seniors to forfeit one dollar in Social Security benefits for every
three dollars they earned over $17,000. Working Americans pay into Social Security throughout their careers with the expectation that this money will be there for them when they retire. The government should not renege on its promise because a citizen
wants or needs to work beyond age 65. No one should have to pay for the privilege to work.
More than six decades after Social Security was established, Congress has finally ended the earnings limit for seniors between the ages of 65 and 69. Under
legislation the President signed into law on April 7, seniors are now free to work during their golden years without losing any of their Social Security benefits. After 65 years, it’s about time.
Source: Senate web site, “Earnings Limit Penalized Seniors”
Nov 7, 2000
Voted YES on using the Social Security Surplus to fund tax reductions.
Vote on a motion to table (or kill) the motion to recommit the bill to the Senate Finance and Claims Committee with instructions directing the committee to "correct the fact that the bill uses" Social Security surpluses for tax breaks.
Bill S.1429
; vote number 1999-236
on Jul 30, 1999
Voted YES on Social Security Lockbox & limiting national debt.
This vote limited debate on the amendment offered by Sen. Abraham (R-MI) that would have created a Social Security "lockbox" and establish limits on the public debt. [A YES vote was for a lockbox]. This vote failed because 3/5 of the Senate did not vote.
Status: Cloture Motion Rejected Y)54; N)45; NV)1
Reference: Motion to invoke cloture on Amdt #254 to S. 557;
Bill S. 557
; vote number 1999-90
on Apr 22, 1999
Rated 0% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record.
Fitzgerald scores 0% by the ARA on senior issues
The mission of the Alliance for Retired Americans is to ensure social and economic justice and full civil rights for all citizens so that they may enjoy lives of dignity, personal and family fulfillment and security. The Alliance believes that all older and retired persons have a responsibility to strive to create a society that incorporates these goals and rights and that retirement provides them with opportunities to pursue new and expanded activities with their unions, civic organizations and their communities.
The following ratings are based on the votes the organization considered most important; the numbers reflect the percentage of time the representative voted the organization's preferred position.
Source: ARA website 03n-ARA on Dec 31, 2003