Letter Opposing Speaker Boehner's Debt Limit Proposal

* a copy of this letter was also sent to the Senate

July 26, 2011

United States House of Representatives
Washington , DC 20515

Dear Representative:

On behalf of the millions of members and supporters of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, I urge you to raise our nation's debt limit while protecting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid - three programs essential to the health and financial well-being of America 's elderly and most vulnerable citizens.

Social Security has not contributed to the federal deficit, and in fact cannot contribute to the deficit by law - it therefore has no place in a deficit discussion. Medicare and Medicaid are health insurance programs and are subject to the same inflationary pressures that have made health insurance increasingly unaffordable for workers and their employers. Cutting the federal health programs without reducing health care costs system-wide will result in access limitations for seniors.

The proposal submitted by Speaker Boehner represents a 'stealth attack' on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, while protecting the wealthiest Americans from making even the smallest contribution toward reducing our mountain of debt by excluding any increase in revenue on their part. Shared sacrifice cannot be limited to the poor and middle-class, as the Boehner proposal suggests. We certainly agree that it would be the height of irresponsibility not to increase the public debt ceiling. However, by conditioning that increase in the nation's debt limit on passage of legislation reducing the deficit by $1.8 trillion, Speaker Boehner's substitute holds the nation's economic future hostage in order to force deep cuts in the programs our seniors depend on.

Although Speaker Boehner's proposal does not cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid directly, deep cuts in these programs are the inevitable result of the legislative process his amendment creates. We at the National Committee will make sure our millions of members and supporters are fully info rmed about the consequences of this proposal, and consider a vote for Speaker Boehner's substitute to S. 627 the same as a vote to impose deep cuts in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

We urge you to vote against Speaker Boehner's debt limit proposal.

Sincerely,

Max Richtman
President & CEO