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    Social Security 75 Years: Keeping the Promise


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    THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO PRESERVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE
    ~ Celebrating 25 Years of Advocacy for Older Americans ~

    February 23, 2009

    NEWS RELEASE

    Healthcare Reform = Entitlement Reform

    National Seniors Advocate, Barbara Kennelly, comments following White House
    Fiscal Responsibility Summit

    "We support President Obama's promise to return fiscal responsibility to our federal budget and we also agree that our nation's biggest long-term fiscal challenge is health care financing.  We don't have an entitlement crisis in our country today; we have a health care crisis. As I expressed to my fellow participants in today's meeting, unless we focus on the real problem, any attempt at a solution simply will not work. In fact, the entitlement debate is a distraction that makes it harder to achieve what should be our top priority - reforming health care to improve quality and reduce costs.  That reform is also critical to preserve and strengthen Medicare for future generations.

    Seniors understand how important it is to live within our means however; they also know that without Social Security and Medicare, millions would not be able to weather the current economic storm. If a "special process", meaning a commission or task force, is ultimately created to review Social Security, that process must focus not only on dollars and cents but also on programs and people.  We should be looking for ways to finance Social Security benefits, not cut them.  All of this can be done without marginalizing Congress in a fast-track plan that includes restrictive timelines and no amendments.

    The National Committee looks forward to working with the ongoing Fiscal Sustainability Project, the President, and Congress to address the real crisis threatening our nation's economic stability...the skyrocketing cost of health care." Barbara B. Kennelly, President/CEO

    The National Committee's latest briefing paper on the budget crisis, Social Security, Medicare and healthcare reform, Commissions, Cuts and Crisis Calls , can be found online at: http://www.ncpssm.org/news/archive/vp_balance_budget_seniors/ .

    Media Inquiries to:
    Pamela Causey 202-216-8378/202-236-2123
    Kim Wright 202-216-8414
    www.ncpssm.org

     

    The National Committee is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that 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.