Lou Barletta: Does Kanjorski Agree with His Party Leaders About Raising the Social Security and Retirement Ages?

Press Release

Mayor Barletta strongly disagrees with both Dems, GOP

Hazleton Mayor and 11th Congressional District candidate Lou Barletta asked if Paul Kanjorski agrees with comments made by U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer about the need to raise the retirement age.

During a speech on June 22, Leader Hoyer said, "On the spending side, we could and should consider a higher retirement age, or one pegged to lifespan." (http://democraticleader.house.gov/media/statements.cfm?pressReleaseID=4293)

Additionally, Mayor Barletta also asked if Kanjorski agrees with U.S. House Majority Whip James Clyburn, whose Web site advocates fixing Social Security by "raising the salary cap and raising the retirement age by one month every year." (http://clyburn.house.gov/constituents-social-security.cfm)

"Mr. Kanjorski's Washington colleagues have been pushing the idea that our workers have to keep moving their retirement ages farther and farther back. The voters need to know if Kanjorski agrees with those radical views," Mayor Barletta said. "For years, Kanjorski, Hoyer, Clyburn, and other Washington politicians have been raiding the Social Security fund, taking more than $4.5 trillion out of it and spending it on bailouts and failed stimulus plans. They're depriving people who've worked and contributed their whole lives of their hard-earned benefits. For the first time in more than three decades, senior citizens didn't receive a cost-of-living increase in 2010, as Mr. Kanjorski, Hoyer, Clyburn, and others took their pay raises and bailed out their political friends. This is unacceptable."

Mayor Barletta also said he does not support statements made by U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner, who also called for increasing the Social Security retirement age to 70 for workers who have at least 20 years until retirement. (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_688102.html).

"It's time to protect Social Security funds. It's time that members of Congress stop spending Social Security money as their own checkbook. The money also needs to be put back starting now, and members of Congress should make an honest start. While families are hurting to make ends meet, Congress should roll back and give back some of the pay raises they've taken over the years and the free mail privileges."

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