[20030805]95-188_社会保障缺口问题：摘要.pdf

Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code 95-188 EPWUpdated August 5, 2003Social Security Notch Issue: A SummaryGeoffrey KollmannDomestic Social Policy DivisionSummaryThe Social Security Amendments of 1977 (P.L. 95-216) substantially altered theway Social Security benefits are computed. The changes were effective beginning withpeople who became eligible in 1979. For retirees, this meant people born after 1916.Many of those born in the 5- to 15-year period after 1916 so-called “notch babies” have complained that the changes in the rules caused their benefits to be lower thanthose of retirees who were born before and after them. A number of legislative attemptshave been made over the years to modify the rules, but none have been successful. Acongressionally mandated commission recently studied the issue and concluded in itsreport, released December 29, 1994, that “benefits paid to those in the Notch years areequitable, and no remedial legislation is in order.” This report will be updatedperiodically.BackgroundThe benefit-computation changes enacted in 1977 were designed to shore up theSocial Security systems fi