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Show THE VOICE OF BUSINESS Minimum benefit, maximum rfiGflorii By Richard L. Lesher, Pres., Chamber of Commerce of the UniU-d States It didn't take long. Less than two months after Congress finally bit the budgetary bullet and passed President Reagan's spending cut package, a major effort is afoot in Congress to unravel that package by restoring one of the biggest single cuts: Social Security's minimum benefit. What is the minimum benefit and just who would be adversely affected by its elimination? Those questions have been lost in a rhetorical barrage from certain lawmakers who claim that millions of elderly Americans would be cut off from their only means of survival should this cut go through. The fact is that over 96 percent of Americans who now receive Social Security would not be affected in any way by the elimination t: minimum benefit. Provision of a minimum be seen by many as a basicflocrsr-for basicflocrsr-for those who would be or: without it. Currently, tte :e guarantees Social Security rec; at least $122 each mocti Ev because they also receive cos:i.-increases. cos:i.-increases. many minima! e: recipients actually get trtK No one takes issue with tie w? providing for every siri! ; American who could not ccr survive without out help, fcr getting the minimum benefit.;::: would they be affected h elimination? A breakdown of is:-reveals is:-reveals the following: 1. 56 percent of the ttrei minimum benefit recipient t.: be entitled to Social SecurtyK: equal to the minimum eve: eliminated. 2. 22 percent would aSu oualifv for Supplemental Income and could get a: t greater than they now receiver: minimum benefit 3. 17 percent already ike" pension income or have c. spouses. 4. The remaining five pss w hi c h 1 it t le is k now n. would U. -of the above groups. In other words, of benefit recipients, only theUV-would theUV-would be adversely affects : elimination. However, for uW? the minimum benefit arrvSi -extravagant and undeserved at the expense of 115 "f Americans and their enpO- finance the Social Secunty- As for those minimum" who are in poverty, they vv cared for-and they Trograms such as Security Income on the testate te-state levels, food stamps ;. can now provide a $13.80 in payments and vcar. The minimum tIxM"i('.-no tIxM"i('.-no longer needed beo. '. programs now exist whKi-better whKi-better job of providing port to the nation's need) Social Security is wl' retirement fund to contribute all irwi7,, f V who have contribute lll;lf ' and who. nonetheless. n should got that help .,-programs, .,-programs, im1 not pii ' v;v strain on the already st"-' . Security retirement ',v don't deserve the ben -. getting should he rrw"1 fcH-inl Security roll- Klimimtionofthenii will save American l!y(lrf ? billion over the Confess toe Sn moving this summer ' , (-isaiplieativeN-nefi afi undeserved windla'i Congressional otj unnecessary benri ,f represent a major stT ' tbegoalofaN' .r' would Also Inrfif1' workers, many rf ;,v about the finam-11 ' tl,;V , se.-m-itv. that ;fs must etc! the P0'1" ' I the t.sigh ,rl ,y fi'1 (H-ccssary lo sWrm afliwl v |