Issue Position: Social Security and Medicare

Issue Position

Jim McGovern believes that Social Security and Medicare are sacred promises -- commitments that our nation has made to ensure that our senior citizens can live their lives with dignity. Those promises must not be broken.

This year, as Social Security celebrates its 75th birthday, Social Security remains one of the nation's most successful and effective programs. Jim believes we must strengthen Social Security, not weaken it.

Unfortunately, Republicans are promising once again to privatize Social Security -- in effect, to leave seniors' retirement security to the whims of Wall Street. If Republicans had succeeded in their previous efforts, seniors would have lost trillions more in the stock market meltdown of the Bush recession. Instead, no one lost a penny in Social Security.

Jim McGovern will continue to strongly oppose any effort to cut or privatize Social Security.

Jim also is a strong supporter of Medicare, which has allowed our seniors access to some of the best health care in the world.

Jim supported legislation to improve Medicare benefits with lower prescription drug costs for seniors in the "donut hole,' better chronic care, free preventive care, and nearly a decade more of solvency for Medicare.

Jim also led efforts to increase funding for the Medicare home health program, which allows seniors to stay in their homes.

Jim recognizes that both Social Security and Medicare face long term funding issues. He believes that the most effective way to strengthen these programs is to grow our economy -- to put people back to work and to decrease our budget deficit.

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