Issue Position: Medicare and Social Security

Issue Position

I believe, like many folks across Tennessee's Fourth Congressional District, that ensuring the long-term solvency of the Social Security program is an issue of the utmost importance.

Since its establishment in 1935, Social Security has provided an essential benefit to our senior citizens and many Americans depend on these payments to cover the necessary costs of daily life. However, due to changing conditions over time, issues have arisen that now threaten the programs future sustainability.

When the program was first conceived, there were approximately forty workers paying into the program for every person receiving benefits. Now, there are less than three workers for every beneficiary and, as more and more Americans retire and average life expectancy increases, we are now facing a situation where Social Security benefits paid out have already begun to exceed payroll taxes.

Now, our nation is facing unprecedented budget cuts due to a skyrocketing national debt and many individuals have proposed the idea of cutting Social Security benefits as a way of solving these problems.

While I acknowledge that many difficult cuts need to be made, I do not believe that we can undermine the obligations we have to our seniors who have paid into this system throughout their lives. As such, I have and will continue to strongly oppose any changes to the program for current retirees.

Instead, it is imperative that we examine our options in a cautious manner and look at making incremental reforms, adjustments that do not impact our current or near retirees, in order to ensure the programs viability, not only for today's seniors, but for their children and grandchildren. Furthermore, we cannot allow politicians to circumvent budget cuts by raiding Social Security to pay for other programs.

As long as I am in Congress, I will continue fighting to protect and preserve this vitally important program.

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