issue Position: Social Security and Retirement

Issue Position

Social Security

All seniors should be able to retire with dignity. Social Security must be strengthened and protected, and Congress needs to work in a bi-partisan manner to preserve its original purpose as a reliable source of income for America's seniors. I continue to stand firmly opposed to privatization and reject the idea that the future of hard-working Americans should be left to the unpredictable fluctuations of financial markets.

Thankfully, Social Security recipients see a SS cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) in their 2012 checks of 3.6% for the first time since 2009. I co-sponsor the Social Security Protection Act, a bill that prohibits Congress' new "super committee" from making cuts to Social Security benefits. These benefits are too important to our nation's seniors to be used as bargaining chips, especially in measures that also seek to extend tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

I don't play partisan politics with people's livelihoods, and I don't supports measures that could put Social Security checks at risk.

Retirement

Congress needs to continue working to find ways to save for retirement and prepare for unforeseen expenses. Currently 75 million working Americans--about half the workforce--lack access to retirement plans through their employers. We need policies that ensure that all Americans can save for a happy and secure retirement.

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