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House approves resolution urging Social Security private-account option after heated debate
Summary
The Utah House on Jan. 30 passed HJR 2, a nonbinding petition urging Congress to consider a private-account option for Social Security, after lawmakers debated potential risks to current beneficiaries; the measure passed 51–23 and was sent to the Senate.
The Utah House of Representatives voted 51–23 on Jan. 30 to pass HJR 2, a resolution urging Congress to consider a private-account option for Social Security, after a sustained floor debate that split members along lines of perceived risk to current beneficiaries.
Representative Barry, the resolution’s sponsor, told the House the resolution is a petition to Congress and “reviews all of the reasons why the current Social Security system is not working and therefore it needs to be repaired.” Barry framed the measure as advocacy rather than a blueprint for reform and said it would not make participation optional for current beneficiaries. He described payroll taxes and benefit levels as part of the rationale, saying the current system “is a crushing tax burden” and arguing individuals should have the option of personally owned accounts.
Opponents warned about public perception and the potential effect on retirees. Representative Anderson said she would vote against the resolution, arguing “the last thing in the world I want to send out to my constituency is that I’m threatening their Social Security,” and noted the risk that the resolution could be viewed as endorsing reforms that would reduce current benefits. Multiple members also declared conflicts of interest related to collecting Social Security; Representative Bush noted she is eligible for Social Security and asked that her conflict be recorded.
The resolution’s sponsor repeatedly characterized HJR 2 as a statement to Congress rather than a state-level plan, and said similar petitions have been filed by other states. After floor debate and several brief procedural exchanges, the House adopted HJR 2 by a roll-call vote of 51 yes and 23 no; the measure was transmitted to the Senate for further consideration.
What happens next: HJR 2 is a nonbinding expression of the House’s views and must be considered by the Utah Senate; any federal change would require Congressional action. The House record shows the resolution passed and was forwarded to the Senate for its consideration.
