Senator Mikulski's Response To State Of The Union Address

Senator Mikulski's Response To State Of The Union Address

Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) tonight commented on President Bush's State of the Union address. Excerpts of her remarks can be found below:

"President Bush always gives a good speech, but it was obvious tonight that we disagree on some fundamental priorities. I am pleased, however, that he has decided to join those of us supporting increasing the military death benefit to at least $100,000. This is something I have worked on for a long time, I even introduced legislation that does this in January of this year. But I want to do even more: I want to ensure that this increase covers all Members of our Military who die in the line of duty, fully retroactive to September 11, 2001 and tax exempt. If you made the ultimate sacrifice, your family shouldn't have to continue do so. They should have enough money to pay the mortgage or send family to college. I will work with the President to get this into the federal lawbooks.

"I want to work with President Bush when he is on the right track, but when he gets off track, it is my responsibility and the responsibility of my Democratic colleagues, to hold him accountable. I disagree with Bush on fundamental principles, especially his plans to privatize social security. I think he is creating a phony crisis to ship money to Wall Street. I believe that Social Security should be a guaranteed, lifetime, inflation-proof benefit. Social security is supposed to be a guaranteed benefit not a guaranteed gamble.

"Women would be disproportionately affected by the privatization of social security. It is one of the most important safety nets for American women in old age, or in times of disability, to insure financial income for their families.

http://mikulski.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=231457