Bob Kerrey: “My amendment is essentially a conforming amendment. It is an amendment that conforms a change we are about to make with…”

“My amendment is essentially a conforming amendment. It is an amendment that conforms a change we are about to make with the change in the language relating to earnings that occur between age 65 and 69. Senator Moynihan and I have a proposal to eliminate the earnings test from 62 to 65. Some groups are opposed because they are concerned that for low-income working women there could be an increase in the number of women who are under the poverty guidelines as established by the Federal Government. It is an interesting fact. I am not sure of the validity of the forecast. We are changing the program from a retirement program to an old-age program. I support that change. To change Social Security so that it is no longer a retirement-based program is very important. Since 1935, we have either said to workers: You have to retire before you are eligible; or we have said: If you continue to work, there will be a penalty that will occur as a consequence of whatever earnings you have. That is what we are trying to eliminate.”