On the Amendment S.Amdt. 3836 to H.R. 8 (A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to phaseout the estate and gift taxes over a 10-year period.Death Tax Elimination Act) - To repeal the increase in tax on Social Security benefits.

Constitutional Vote: Yes

Vote Date: July 13, 2000

Social Security Earnings Tax Hike Repeal. This amendment by Senator Rod Grams (R-MN) is identical to the bill described in House bill H.R. 4865.

[ House Bill: Social Security Earnings Tax Hike Repeal. This bill, H.R. 4865, would repeal the 1993 Clinton-Gore tax increase on Social Security benefits. Under the provisions of the 1993 law, seniors still in the work force making more than $34,000 per year had income taxes assessed against 85 percent of their Social Security checks, up from 50 percent in years prior. This bill would bring the proportion of benefits taxed back down to 50 percent. ]

The Senate adopted the Grams amendment to H.R. 8 on July 13, 2000 by a vote of 58-41 (Roll Call 188). We have assigned pluses to the yeas.