News Release

The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, on behalf of its millions of members and supporters, including 4,300 in Wisconsin’s First Congressional District, enthusiastically endorses Randy Bryce for nomination and election to the United States House of Representatives.

“Our nation needs Randy’s leadership, vision and determination to fight for working families and older Americans,” says National Committee president and CEO Max Richtman.  “Randy has earned our endorsement because he understands and supports the critical roles that Social Security and Medicare play in the retirement and health security of our nation’s older citizens and their families.”

Bryce – a military veteran, cancer survivor, and union ironworker – hopes to win an August 14th primary so that he can challenge House Speaker Paul Ryan for his congressional seat in November’s elections.  Ryan has been an outspoken promoter of “entitlement reform,” code for privatizing and cutting Medicare and Social Security, which would undermine working Americans’ retirement and health security.

“Unlike Paul Ryan, Randy Bryce is a passionate supporter of Social Security and Medicare. He understands the importance of expanding, not cutting, these programs for current and future generations of seniors,” says Richtman.

Bryce, whose mother has multiple sclerosis and whose father suffers from Alzheimer’s, has affirmed the positive role that Social Security and Medicare have played in his parents’ lives.  When Paul Ryan and the GOP renewed their calls for cuts in earned benefit programs to help close the deficit created by tax cuts for billionaires and big corporations, Bryce vowed to “defeat him and protect those programs.”

Bryce has already committed himself to policies that would benefit seniors and the disabled. He wants to lift the income cap on Social Security payroll contributions so that the wealthy pay their fair share. He opposes the underfunding of the Social Security Administration, which has led to field office closures and excessive wait times across the country.  He also supports adding vision, dental, and hearing services as covered benefits under Medicare.

“These are common sense changes that we believe will benefit some of our most vulnerable citizens,” says Richtman.  “We know that Randy Bryce will be their staunch defender in Congress, while Paul Ryan would continue to work against their best interests.” 

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The National Committee, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization acts in the interests of its membership through advocacy, education, services, grassroots efforts and the leadership of the Board of Directors and professional staff.  The work of the National Committee is directed toward developing better-informed citizens and voters.

 

Media Inquiries to:

Pamela Causey 202-216-8378/202-236-2123

Walter Gottlieb 202-216-8414