Seniors
As a member of the Congressional Task Force on Seniors, and a cosponsor of the Seniors Bill of Rights, I know that seniors and retirees are struggling during this tough economic time.
As a member of the Congressional Task Force on Seniors, and a cosponsor of the Seniors Bill of Rights, I know that seniors and retirees are struggling during this tough economic time. I’m fighting to strengthen and preserve Social Security and Medicare for our current seniors and for future retirees. Americans have worked hard for these benefits and they should not be cut or taken away.
Earlier this year, I offered an amendment on the House Floor that would have prevented funds from being used to privatize Social Security or to cut benefits. It would have also prevented funds from being used to turn Medicare into a voucher system. Unfortunately, my amendment failed to receive the necessary votes for passage.
I support changing the way in which the Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) is calculated. I cosponsored legislation that would base the COLA on the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumer (CPIEC), which is a better measurement of what seniors spend as opposed to what is currently being used to calculate the COLA. I also oppose raising the Social Security retirement age, because after a lifetime of hard work, our seniors deserve a retirement that offers them peace of mind.
I oppose privatizing or cutting benefits to Medicare, which is one of the reasons why I opposed the Fiscal Year 2012 Republican budget proposal.