Seniors
Hawaii's seniors depend greatly on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. I am a strong supporter of these vital safety net programs and will continue to work to protect these benefits. Social Security is one program that does not contribute to the deficit. It is a selffinanced program funded directly by payroll contributions that go into a self-sustaining trust fund.
There have been a number of proposals since 2010 to cut Medicare and Medicaid and to reform the Social Security system. Cuts to these important programs would result in our states bearing more of the costs at the expense of low-income children, women, the elderly, and the disabled, who are most at-risk to lose their insurance coverage. For many, social security is a sole source of financial stability, and I intend to continue protecting the program to ensure the livelihood of millions of Americans.