2003 Ron Paul 44:1
Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in reluctant opposition to HR 743, the Social Security Protection
Act. While this bill contains many provisions
worthy of support, it also removes the
only means by which many widowed Texas
public school teachers can receive the same
spousal social security benefits as every other
American. As I am sure my colleagues are
aware, widowed public school employees in
Texas, like public employees throughout the
The Government Pension Offset even applies
if the public employee in question worked all
the quarters necessary to qualify for full social
security benefits either before or after working
in the public school system!
2003 Ron Paul 44:2
The effect of the Government Pension Offset is to punish people for teaching in public
schools! However, current law provides widowed
Texas public school teachers a means
of collecting the full social security spousal
benefits. Unfortunately, this bill removes that
option from Texas teachers. Since I believe
the Congress should repeal the Government
Pension Offset by passing HR 524, which repeals
both the Government Pension Offset
and the Windfall Elimination Provision, another
provision that denies public employees full social
security benefits, I must oppose this bill.
2003 Ron Paul 44:3
Instead of punishing public school teachers, Congress should be encouraging good people
to enter the education profession by passing
my Teacher Tax Cut Act (HR 613) which provides
every teacher with a $1,000 tax credit,
as well as my Professional Educators Tax
Credit act (HR 614), which provides a $1,000
tax credit to counselors, librarians, and all
school personnel. Congress should also act to
protect the integrity of the Social Security
Trust Fund by passing my Social Security
Preservation Act (HR 219), which ensures that
Social Security monies are not spent on other
programs. Congress should also pass my Social
Security for American Citizens Only Act
(HR 489), which ensures that non-citizens who
have not worked the required number of quarters
and illegal immigrants do not receive social
security benefits.