Congressional Corner from Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones: The American People Deserve More Than Empty Rhetoric and Broken Promises

Send this article to a friend.

Printer friendly version.

Congressional Corner from Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones: The American People Deserve More Than Empty Rhetoric and Broken Promises

By Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH)

As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, I am acutely aware of the problems facing Social Security and Medicare today, especially as the baby boomers near retirement. I was pleased recently to sit down with Former Member of Congress David Funderburk and his wife, Betty — in their capacity representing the TREA Senior Citizens League (TSCL) — to discuss our mutual concern for the future of these two programs, as well as for how our seniors are faring today.

Representing the 11th District of Ohio, including more than 1,200 TSCL members, is a position in which I take great pride. We must keep our promise to the American people that Social Security and Medicare will be there not only for my son and our children, but also for generations to come. I am concerned about current record deficits and what they will mean in the long term. Too, I don’t believe that Social Security privatization is a good idea. Social Security is not a program we can risk to the whims of the stock market — too many people rely on it to keep them out of poverty.

Many of those who rely on Social Security as their only means of income are women. Because of the unique circumstances that women face in their later years, I believe that any Social Security reform that is undertaken must take those circumstances into consideration. That is why I am a co-sponsor of H.Res.174, legislation introduced by my colleague Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), to ensure the continued role of Social Security in guaranteeing inflation-protected financial stability for women throughout their golden years.

An inequity in the current Social Security program about which I am equally concerned is the unfairness that many former public servants suffer because of the Government Pension Offset. We should be applauding our policemen and women, teachers and firefighters — not penalizing them for choosing these noble professions. Instead, these individuals — in their retirement years — receive less in Social Security, which is reduced by their pension received from their public service profession.

I am also proud to be a co-sponsor of legislation to allow civilian and military retirees to use pre-tax dollars to pay health insurance premiums. Many employees currently have this option, and it is a matter of fairness to offer this option to retirees as well.

As long as I have the confidence of my constituents and am allowed to serve them, I will be fighting for fairness and the continued guarantee of Social Security and Medicare. The American people deserve more than empty rhetoric and broken promises.

May 2004