,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #dahj  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #b1      
#bjbj,mr4 ,kaine 7for himself and ,mr4  
,cassidy7 introduced the following bill2
 which was read twice and referred to   
the ,committee on ,finance  ,a ,,bill   
,to amend title ,,ii of the ,social     
,security ,act to provide that the      
national average wage index for any year
 shall not be less than the amount of   
the national average wage index for the 
preceding year4  #a4 ,short title ,this 
,act may be cited as the ,protecting    
,benefits for ,retirees ,act4  #b4      
,modifying the calculation of the       
,social ,security average wage index to 
conform with the calculation of ,social 
,security cost-of-living adjustments and
 taxable maximum ,section #bji7k7 of the
 ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4  
#dji7k77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 
7#a71 by striking subject to regulations
 and inserting subject to paragraph 7#d7
 and regulations2 and  7#b7 by adding at

 the end the following new paragraph3   
7#d7 ,for any calendar year after #bjai1
 if the average of the total wages for a
 calendar year is less than the national
 average wage index applicable under    
this subsection for the preceding       
calendar year1 the amount of the        
national average wage index for the     
calendar year involved shall be the     
amount of the national average wage     
index that applied under this subsection
 for such preceding calendar year4  4