Tennant Statement on Social Security's 79th Anniversary

Press Release

U.S. SENATE NOMINEE PLEDGES TO PRESERVE AND STRENGTHEN SOCIAL SECURITY FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW'S SENIORS

West Virginia Secretary of State and U.S. Senate nominee Natalie Tennant today commemorated the 79th anniversary of Social Security, touting the program as a critical lifeline for seniors and families in West Virginia and across the nation.

Tennant says that Social Security enables thousands of West Virginia seniors, just like her 86-year old father, to retire with dignity after a lifetime of hard work.

"When I think of Social Security, I think of my 86-year old Dad back on the farm and the thousands of West Virginians just like him who depend on Social Security. Our seniors work all their lives for the promise of Social Security and we owe it to them to ensure that a promise made is a promise kept. Privatizing Social Security should never be an option," Tennant said.

Tennant pointed to a number of important statistics from the AARP to highlight Social Security's impact on West Virginia (read here):

Nearly all West Virginia residents 65 and older receive Social Security.

Social Security lifts 113,000 West Virginia seniors out of poverty.

For one-third of West Virginians over the age of 65, Social Security is their only source of income.

Citing Social Security's importance to West Virginia, Tennant strongly opposes privatizing Social Security, a dangerous, reckless plan that would enable Wall Street millionaires to gamble away seniors' retirement in the stock market.

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