WALLY HERGER: “I rise today to join my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Hastert] in support of a discharge…”

“I rise today to join my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Hastert] in support of a discharge petition on H.R. 300, the Older Americans Freedom to Work Act. This legislation is crucial to millions of our working seniors between the ages of 65 and 69 who find their Social Security benefits unfairly withheld simply because they choose to remain active in the work force. This penalty impacts millions of seniors who financially must supplement their Social Security benefits. They are not asking for a government hand-out. They just want the Federal Government to stop taking away the benefits that they have earned. Currently, over a majority of the Members of this House have cosponsored this legislation. I urge my colleagues to join me in signing this discharge petition so that the full House can have a change to debate and vote on this measure. To do anything less will be to ignore those seniors whose expertise and experience our Nation can ill afford to lose in today's economy.”