“The President’s plan to privatize Social Security requires massive benefit cuts that would devastate rural America,” said Congressman Berry. “Many of these individuals spent years of their lives working on the farm or in the factory just to provide a comfortable retirement for their family. Now the President wants to jeopardize that economic security by cutting Social Security checks almost in half.”

With a high population of elderly and disabled individuals, rural America would suffer significantly under any proposal to privatize Social Security. Rural America is home to over 90% of the counties in the country with the highest population of senior citizens and outnumbers urban areas in individuals’ eligible for disability benefits. In the first district of Arkansas alone, 27.5% of the adult population currently receives Social Security. Under the President’s plan, these rural seniors could lose as much as $7,000 of income a year in benefits.

“Since the President announced his plans to privatize Social Security, I have met with hundreds of Arkansas’ citizens and I have received thousands of letters opposing his plan,” said Congressman Berry. “Although the stories are different, the message is the same. These hard-working families do not want to gamble their retirement savings on the stock market. With the public opposed to this proposal, it is time the President concedes and takes Social Security privatization off the table.”

Congressman Berry and colleagues from rural states will travel to Dayton, Ohio and Jeffersonville, Indiana this weekend to hold town halls on Social Security. The lawmakers will discuss current proposals to reform Social Security and their potential impact on Rural America.