Issue Position: Senior Citizens, Medicare and Social Security

Issue Position

My father is 95 years old and my mother is 92, and unfortunately, I know firsthand the struggles too many of our senior citizens bravely face every day. My parents were fortunate enough to secure long-term health insurance and have adult children living nearby who can help out with their every day needs, but too many of our senior citizens lack healthcare security, and do not have the support of loved ones nearby.

Today, 20% of our district is made up of residents over the age of 65, and another nearly 20% of the local population will be ready to retire within the next 20 years; after working hard and paying into Social Security and Medicare programs for a lifetime, seniors have earned these benefits and deserve to retire at 65 with healthcare and economic security. We must act now to protect our current and future Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries.

As former County Executive I have a record of working to protect and care for our senior citizens: I created effective programs that reached more than 30,000 senior citizens, and provided them with support and resources through community outreach initiatives, financial assistance, affordable housing, and wellness programs. In Congress, I will continue to fight for those who need it most: I will work to strengthen both Medicare and Social Security, and resist any efforts to privatize or weaken these programs. It will be a priority for me to fight the pharmaceutical companies and lobby to bring down prescription drug costs for seniors.

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