Voting Record on Legislation Involving Senior and Social Security Issues
(2010) S 3985 Emergency Senior Citizens Relief Act
Outcome: Cloture Not Invoked (53/45)
Summary: -Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to disburse additional payments of $250 to individuals who were entitled to any of the following in October, November, or December 2010, whereas existing law restricted payments to individuals who were only entitled to such benefits in 2009 (Sec. 2):
-Social Security;
-Railroad Retirement benefits;
-Veterans benefits; or
-Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
-Authorizes government retirees, who receive pension benefits for services to the United States or any State, and who are not eligible to receive the $250 payment, to claim a $250 income tax credit in 2011, whereas existing law only allowed retirees to claim this credit in 2009 (Sec. 2).
-Authorizes the disbursement of $250 payments to individuals who reside in locations with an Army Post Office, Fleet Post Office, or Diplomatic Post Office, whereas existing law excluded these individuals (Sec. 2).
-Reduces the maximum allowable amount for the "Making Work Pay" tax credit by $250, for individuals who receive a $250 payment. (Sec. 2).
-Prohibits the Secretary of the Treasury from disbursing payments after December 31, 2011 (Sec. 2).
Tester's Vote
Y
(2010) S Amdt 3353 Payment to Social Security Recipients
Outcome: Motion Rejected (47/50)
Summary: -Specifies that no payments for calendar year 2009, as authorized in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (HR 1, the "Stimulus" Act), shall be dispersed after December 31, 2010, and no payment authorized in this amendment for calendar year 2010 shall be dispersed after December 31, 2011, regardless of entitlement or eligibility.
-Appropriates an additional $11.43 million to carry out the administrative costs of this amendment as follows:
-$5.2 million to the Secretary of the Treasury;
-$5 million to the Commissioner of Social Security;
-$600,000 to the Railroad Retirement Board; and
-$625,000 to the Secretary of Veteran Affairs.
