LETTER OF SUBMITTAL CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE, Hon. LAWTON CHILES, Chairman, Special Committee on THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, Aging, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Research Service is pleased to transmit to you our information paper, "Summary of Recommendations and Surveys on Social Security and Pension Policies." In the past 2 years, six study groups and three public opinion research organizations have released reports with significant recommendations and survey findings pertaining to social security and other retirement income systems. This paper was prepared because your committee believed it would be extremely valuable to have a summary of the recommendations and surveys of all these reports condensed into a single reference document for use in your upcoming hearings. This report was prepared by David Koitz, who is a specialist in the Education and Public Welfare Division of the Congressional Research Service, with special assistance from Nancy L. Miller, who is on assignment with the Congressional Research Service from the Social Security Administration. The Congressional Research Service is glad to be able to contribute to your committee's studies of the issues now confronting the Nation's retirement systems. Sincerely, Enclosure. GILBERT GUDE, Director. (III) PREFACE As part of its oversight responsibility, the Committee on Aging is scheduling a series of hearings entitled "Social Security: What Changes Are Necessary?" These hearings will be held in November and December of 1980 in anticipation of the need for major social security legislation during the 97th Congress. It is our intention to focus on those issues that are most likely to receive attention next year, and to help educate the public and the Congress about emerging concerns in this most important program. Over the past 2 years, several reports and several national opinion surveys have been released. These reports and surveys have received great attention in the national press and have stirred great interest in the American public, particularly with senior citizens and those approaching retirement. These reports are: -Report of the 1979 Advisory Council on Social Security. -An Interim Report From the National Commission on Social Security. -Report of the Universal Social Security Coverage Study Group. -An Interim Report From the President's Commission on Pension -Preliminary Findings of a Nationwide Survey on Retirement -1979 Study of American Attitudes Toward Pensions and Retirement. -A Nationwide Survey of Attitudes Toward Social Security. The Report of the 1979 Advisory Council on Social Security is the seventh such report, being preceded by the reports of earlier Advisory Councils going back to 1938. The annual Trustees' Report also dates back to the early years of the social security program, being the 40th such report. Three of the other reports-Social Security and the Changing Roles of Men and Women, the Report of the Universal Social Security Coverage Study Group, and the Interim Report From the National Commission on Social Security-have their origins in the Social Security Amendments of 1977. The sixth report-An Interim Report From the President's Commission on Pension Policy-initially arose from an Executive order of President Carter in 1978 and was then legislatively authorized in 1979. This committee print was prepared by the Congressional Research Service in response to a request from the Senate Committee on Aging to summarize the major recommendations and survey findings of these groups and condense them into a single reference document. Chapter 1 of this paper lists the titles of the reports, the dates they were issued, the membership of the study groups, their legislative authorizations, sponsors, and purposes. Chapter 2 provides a set of charts comparing the recommendations by major issue area, followed by a narrative summary of the recommendations by study group. Chapter 3 summarizes the findings from the three recent public opinion surveys. A glossary of frequently used social security terms is included at the end to aid the unfamiliar reader. Much of the content of the various reports deals with social security. Other organizations with interests in private pensions and broader retirement policy questions might give greater attention to other retirement income issues, such as the conditions affecting private pensions. However, other than the President's Commission on Pension Policy, the study groups whose reports are summarized in this committee print placed primary emphasis on problems in social security. It is our sincere hope that the information brought together in this information paper will be of service to all those deeply concerned about the future direction of social security and retirement income policy. The committee will continue to publish additional material where it feels a contribution can be made. LAWTON CHILES, PETE V. DOMENICI, Ranking Minority Member. 1 CONTENTS Page Letter of submittal_ Chapter 1. Title of report, study group members, authorization, and A. Report of the 1979 Advisory Council on Social Security, III V 1 2 B. An Interim Report From the National Commission on Social 3 C. Report of the Universal Social Security Coverage Study Group, 3 D. Social Security and the Changing Roles of Men and Women, E. 1980 Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and F. An Interim Report From the President's Commission on Pension G. Preliminary Findings of a Nationwide Survey on Retirement In- H. 1979 Study of American Attitudes Toward Pensions and Retire- I. A Nationwide Survey of Attitudes Toward Social Security (Peter Chapter 2. Summary of recommendations of the six study groups.. A. Report of the 1979 Advisory Council on Social Security... C. Report of the Universal Social Security Coverage Study Group. E. 1980 Report of the Board of Trustees of the Old-Age and Survivors B. 1979 Study of American Attitudes Toward Pensions and Retire- C. A Nationwide Survey of Attitudes Toward Social Security-. |