Sununu, Gregg Push for Social Security Reform
WASHINGTON — Sen. John Sununu joined like-minded lawmakers Wednesday in a push for “action” in reforming Social Security, and a plea for “lowering the volume” on the heated partisan debates that have polarized opinions in Congress for years.
“We recognize this is a tough issue, yes, but the need for action is now,” the New Hampshire Republican said at a press conference. “We can’t leave this challenge or any challenge that is so important to future generations to a future Congress or a future president.”
Sununu joined longtime Social Security movers Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., Rep. Charles Stenholm, D-Texas, and others in making it clear that despite differences in Congress, “inaction is not an option” and that a lack of reform will jeopardize the program.
He urged a bipartisan approach that would create dialogue and allow members to work together.
The legislators cited statistics from the 2002 annual report of the Social Security Trustees.They project that in 2017, under the current system, Social Security will start to pay out more than it takes in.
Also at the press conference was New Hampshire’s Sen. Judd Gregg who, after the conference, said Social Security is “one of the great success stories,” one that allows people to retire with “dignity and respect.” He stressed the need to preserve that success for future generations.
“The problem in the Senate today,” Gregg said, “is that we need responsible voices on both sides.… We can only move forward in a bipartisan way.”
“You can raise taxes, you can cut benefits,” he said, “but the best way, really, is to start to give young people the opportunity to both save and own the assets which they save.” Gregg added that he is drafting a bill to “play off” the ideas raised at the conference, and said that he “needs a few courageous souls from the other side of the aisle” to get things going.
Evelyn Morton, senior legislative representative for AARP, agreed in an interview that the way to establish sound Social Security for the future is to achieve bipartisan leadership on the matter.
“But we need something truly representative, that the American people are willing to buy,” Morton urged. “The American people recognize that it’s so important, it’s the only lifetime, annually-adjusted-for-inflation program that they have.”
She continued, “The stock market is on a roller coaster ride and the economy is falling, and Social Security plays such a significant role in retirement. AARP believes that that we’ve got to have investment as an important component in retirement security, but we’ve got to have a package that also has the approval of the American people.”
Published in Foster’s Daily Democrat, in New Hampshire.
