European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 15, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes Friday september 15,1989 groups urge end to earnings limits for retirees collecting social Security Washington a the govern they released the report in conjunct billion and government Revenue would focus of a hearing wednesday by a us govern men could save $140 million a year by letting older americans earn unlimited outside income without forfeiting social Security benefits two conservative oriented research groups reported thurs Day. The new taxes paid by older workers who rejoin the labor Force would More than offset the higher social Security Benefi that would be paid the study said. Because the penalties for wot King Are so High Many elderly workers arc simply dropping out of the system and becom ing More dependent on government in  rep. Dick Armey a Texas said in an introduction to the report. The report was prepared and sponsored by two Dallas based groups the Institute for policy innovation and the National Center for policy analysis which say they arc focused on finding solutions to economic problems through the private sector rather than govern ment. The the Tion with the House Republican re search committee. Under current Law. Older workers be tween the Ages of 65 and 69 lose $1 in social Security benefits for every $2 they earn above $8.880. The limit is $6.480 for workers under age 65. And there is no limit for those 70 or older. Starting in 1990. Benefits for those age 65-69 will be reduced by $1 for Ever s3 earned above the limit which rises with growth in average wages. Almost i million social Security beneficiaries lose some or All of their benefits each year and another 100,000 people in the 65-69 age group do not file for social Security benefits according to the social Security administration. The researchers said their Best Esti mate was that if the earnings limit were scrapped at least 700,000 additional elderly retirees would enter the labor mar Ket. The nation s output of goods and services would increase by at least $15.4 billion Rise by $4.9 billion outstripping in creased social Security payments by $140 million they said. Members of Congress have repeatedly made proposals to relax or repeal the earnings limits including a plan approved by the House ways and Means committee to raise the earnings limit for those age 65-69 to approximately $10,440 by 1991. The Senate also has gone on record in favor of a higher earn Ings limit. Thursday s study estimated the ways and Means proposal would increase fed eral Revenue by $700 million. Short of abolishing the earnings lest virtually any increase in the earnings limit would Lead to an increase in Federal Revenue that would More than offset the increase in social Security Benefit pay  the researchers reported. Proposed legislation to exempt senior citizens who take jobs As child care work ers from the earnings limits was the focus of a sub committee of the House select commit tee on aging. Social Security administration Dep Uty commissioner Louis Enoff told the panel that while the Agency agrees older americans should be encouraged to stay in the work Force relaxing the earnings limit would be too expensive. We have not been Able to come up with a Way that would not involve significant Short term  he said. Armey said the fear of lost revenues is unfounded and called the earnings test insidious and counterproductive the earnings limit was imposed As part of the original social Security act in 1935, which barred benefits to anyone still earning wages. Before the first pen Sion Check was paid that was modified to bar benefits in any month in which a person earned $ 15 or More in wages. The limit has been amended several times in recent years As More people work past the traditional retirement age of65. Millions in Gold being hauled up from sunken ship Charleston. . A explorers who found the wreck of a 19th-Century Steamboat off South Caro Lina two years ago have begun hauling up a treasure trove of Gold coins and bars that could be Worth up to $ i billion a spokeswoman said thursday. The Booty aboard the Central America includes for tunes made in the California Gold Rush said Judy Conrad a historian with the Columbus America Dis covery group which is excavating the wreck. I never dreamed it would be like this Thomas Thompson a director of the Columbus America Dis covery group said in an interview in thursday s Washington Post. The paddle Wheeler was carrying passengers bound for new York from san Francisco when it went Down sept. 12, 1857, in a Hurricane. Of the approximately 575 people aboard about 150 survived. The wreck was 200 Miles cast of Charleston just inside . Waters where the Ocean is about 8,000 feet deep. The ship was carrying a regular monthly shipment of Gold from the san Francisco mint to new York Banks. At that Lime the Gold was valued at $1.2 Mil lion based on the Price of about 90 cents an ounce. The value of the government shipment has Bee estimated at today s Bullion prices about $360 a Troy ounce at up to $450 million. In addition the haul appears to include riches that belonged to passengers who were returning East after making their fortunes in California said Barry Schatz another Columbus America director. The ship was located two years ago and its Bell re covered last summer said Pamela Adkins a spokeswoman for the group. The first artefacts including Gold bars and rare 19th-Century coins were recovered last month she said. The expedition has been at sea since july and will remain off the coast As Long As the weather permits Adkins told the associated press in a Telephone inter View from Washington. The explorers will return to the site next summer. Among the treasures found were thousands of Gold double Eagle coins which an auction consultant valued at about $8,000 each Thompson said. At such values it in t out of the realm of possibility that the Overall value of the Central America s cargo could swell to $1 billion Thompson said. Thompson 37. A specialist in underwater mining and robotics could receive 40 percent of income from the cargo the Columbus Ohio dispatch reported thursday. The treasure Hunters arc using a computer based imaging system that allows searchers to Sec objects far below the surface he said. The Columbus America discovery group reported finding the wreckage of the Central America in july 1987, a week after a Federal court in Norfolk va., ruled the group had Salvage jurisdiction Over the wreck of the ship. Geologist Bob Evans examines Gold bars and coins from the paddle Wheeler Central America. Senate oks smoking ban on Domestic flights Washington up the Senate approved a permanent ban on smoking aboard All Domestic airline flights thursday crushing the opposition of tobacco state lawmakers and their allies. Senators adopted the anti smoking language on a voice vote after first cutting off debate meant to stall the measure voting 77-21 and rejecting a bid to kill it on procedural grounds 65-34. The ban was included As an amendment to a $11.9 billion 1990 appropriations Bill for the transportation department and related agencies. The last Chance for tobacco state senators to modify the anti smoking stand will come with a Senate House conference set up to Compromise All differences in the underlying Money Bill. The House has approved Mak ing permanent the current ban against smoking on flights of two hours or less which is due to expire in april. The prohibition passed by the Senate not Only would cover All Domestic flights of . Carriers but also foreign airlines that Fly Between . Citico. Thursday s crucial vote to impose debate limiting cloture adopted after tobacco state senators threat ened a filibuster to stall the Bill was 17 votes More than the 60 required. It was cast without discussion. This is a Victory for the majority of airline Passen Gers who Don t want to breathe other people s cigarette smoke said sen. Frank Lautenberg a no. It will protect people from the damage caused by passive smoking and improve air Quality on All . Domestic flights. We re closing in on the Day when the air will be cleared in All airline Cabins in the United states said Lauton Borg a prime sponsor of the ban. Sen. Ernest Hollings . Launched the final at tempt to kill the ban arguing the appropriations Mea sure was not the proper place for such action. His Point of order was upheld by sen. Alan Dixon d-iii., the presiding officer at the moment. But that stand was overruled by the Senate. Hollings accused Lauton Borg of government by ambush in putting the smoking ban on the transportation Money Bill. Arc we going to be a body of ambush chicanery and fraud or Are we going to adhere to process and have the Issue heard Hollings asked. Hollings said the Senate Commerce committee of which he is chairman had pressed the transportation department to Complete a study on Cabin air Quality and accused Lauton Borg of leapfrogging his panel. The appropriation Bill which covers All Federal Fields of transportation also includes $2.95 billion for the coast guard. That total includes $567 million for drug inter diction 15 percent More than last year $4.15 Mil lion for research on Oil spill cleanup and recover techniques and $168.5 for  Protection activities. The Bill also includes $14 million for continuing research and development of advanced explosive detection systems to screen airline Luggage and Money to hire an additional 695 air traffic control lers and 400 safety inspectors. The legislation also has $5 million in Grants to states to encourage them to revoke Drunken Drivers licences and to implement other Drunken driving Laws