Issue Position: Social Security

Issue Position

Central and South seniors have spent a lifetime contributing to our communities and our country -- and paying into Social Security. They are entitled to the benefits they have earned.

Social Security is under no immediate financial threat and is not the source of our budgetary problems. Indeed, the program has been bringing in more revenues than it is spending out for years and that funding must be reserved for payments of Social Security benefits.

And while the retirement of the baby-boom generation means we must address the long-term financial viability of the program, Social Security is a sacred promise to our seniors that must never be broken. That is why I strongly oppose proposals to privatize the program. In addition, Social Security must meet the special needs of women, who live longer and earn less than men, and take time from the workforce to raise and care for their families, all things that make saving for retirement harder.

I am an original cosponsor of the Social Security Fairness Act, which would eliminate both the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) that unfairly reduce the Social Security benefits of workers and spouses who also have pension benefits from employment not covered by Social Security.

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