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Notch Bulletin: Voter Pressure Can Make A Difference For Notch Reform Over Coming Year By Michael J. Zabko, Executive Director, TREA Senior Citizens League As the year 2000 elections draw closer, TSCL expects member efforts to be the key to helping Notch Reform gain renewed support from an increasing number of Members of Congress. Despite repeated efforts to kill it, the Notch issue just will not die. This is for good reason. TSCL members and Notch victims around the country simply will not let it die. In 1994, a government commission released a report which found "benefits paid to those in the Notch years to be equitable, and no remedial legislation is in order". The Commission, however, was stacked with members who were on record as opposed to Notch Reform, so their findings came as little surprise. Many Members of Congress, and tens of millions of American seniors born 1917 through 1926, did not agree with the Notch Commission's findings and continued to support legislative measures to end the inequity of the Notch. In 1999, a total of six Notch Reform bills were introduced in the 106th Congress. This was the most legislative activity since prior to the 1994 Notch Commission Report. In addition, Notch Reform received support from the state level as well. Two concurrent resolutions, one adopted by Legislature of Louisiana, the other by the Legislature of the State of Nevada urged Congress to enact Notch Reform. Efforts to protect the Social Security surplus included an argument for Notch Reform. In May of 1999, Representative Tom Coburn (R-OK), while pleading with his colleagues not to raid the Social Security surplus noted, "We have already committed $16 billion of the seniors' Social Security money. When we pass this supplemental, without this amendment, we will spend another $13 billion of Social Security money. That is enough money for every Notch Baby in this country to get equitable treatment to the neighbors that around them." The support for compensating Notch Victims is continuing to grow and has every reason to build in urgency next year. Many Members of Congress are facing voters skeptical of tax cuts, and who rightfully hold them accountable for raiding the Social Security surplus they pledged to protect. Incumbents will need the votes and support of 12 million Notch babies nationwide. Now is the time to contact both your Senators and your Member of the House of Representatives and urge them to cosponsor and support action on Notch Reform prior to the elections. When the going gets tough this October, action will be what matters, not promises. This article first appeared in Volume 5, Issue 1 of "The Social Security and Medicare Advisor" newsletter (November/1999). To receive future editions of "The Advisor" in its special, free e-mail version, please click here. | ||||||||
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