Last year the House of Representatives, led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D- Calif.), passed major drug legislation that would have allowed the government to negotiate directly with the drug companies, thus bringing the prices of drugs down. The major drug companies, and then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), opposed the legislation and would not allow the House-passed legislation to even be considered. .So it turns out that we have an important choice to make as a country. We can continue down the current path, increase our dependence on China, and accept the risk to our survival. Or we can invest in domestic manufacturing of a minimum level of production of essential medicines to prevent a situation where our supply is severed. .Rick has served the last seven years as a member of the TREA National Board of Directors. First, as Director for 3 years, then elected and served two terms as National President and then two years as Immediate Past National President. Prior to serving on the National Board of Directors from 2009-2014 he served on several National Committees. During his tenure on TREA's Board of Directors, he chaired the Legislative Affairs, Information Technology, Convention, 5-Year Plan, Awards committees, and chaired the Past National Presidents Council. .Nutritious food through the Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP). .More than ever before, it is critical that seniors make their voices heard on Capitol Hill. In the past two years, countless proposals to cut Medicare and Social Security benefits have been backed by deficit hawks in Congress. Recent plans have called for lower cost-of-living adjustments, increased Medicare means testing, a higher retirement age, and even the phasing out of Medicare altogether. The stakes are high for seniors, and with a critical election just months away, every voice counts. The stacks of petitions that our members signed were delivered along with a personalized letter addressed to each Member of Congress. The letters expressed appreciation to those who have already signed on as supporters of the key issues. To those who have not, however, they conveyed a powerful and urgent message and served as a call to action. .This week, Members of Congress remained in their home states and districts for the week-long holiday recess. Meanwhile, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) saw support grow for two critical bills that would strengthen the Social Security program. .In his speech, President Obama also spoke briefly about a new retirement savings plan that will allow citizens to invest in low-risk Treasury bonds through "myRA" accounts. Shortly after the speech, he signed a presidential memorandum directing the Treasury Department to create the new plans. While TSCL agrees that saving for retirement is crucial for younger generations, we were disappointed that the President did not propose any efforts to assist today's seniors. Most Americans over the age of sixty-five rely heavily upon their Social Security checks to meet their daily needs. However, our research shows that seniors are unable to keep up with rising costs – their expenses are rising more than twice as fast as the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment. We strongly believe that Congress should act soon to restore the purchasing power of Social Security benefits. . What does it mean when a Member of Congress says he favors changing Medicare from a "fee-for-service" model to one where the patients would pay based on health outcomes? Is he suggesting that Medicare should stop covering treatments if the patient can't or doesn't improve? .Compare your drug and health plan options NOW during the Medicare Open Enrollment period before it ends on December 7th. Does your current drug plan even cover your expensive new prescription? If not, you need to check your other options. Chances are another plan will. Use the Drug and Health Plan Finder at www.Medicare.gov. Make sure you carefully enter every prescription drug you take in order to get a custom comparison of your best drug plan choices. Costs can vary by hundreds, even thousands, of dollars, and you may be very surprised by the savings from switching to a better plan.