[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 25, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S6384]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             SOCIAL SECURITY PROPOSAL FROM FORMER SENATORS

 Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, our friend and former colleague in 
this body, Paul Simon, has always been outspoken in his leadership on 
national issues. He continues to contribute to the national debate as 
the director of the Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois 
University in Carbondale.
  Paul recently gathered together a number of former Senators to 
consider the issue of Social Security. The group developed a Social 
Security proposal which they believe will provide a solvent Social 
Security system for the next 75 years.
  I ask that the letter I received from this group be printed in the 
Record.
  The letter follows:

         Public Policy Institute, Southern Illinois University at 
           Carbondale,
                                     Carbondale, IL, May 28, 1997.
     Hon. Richard J. Durbin,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Friend: Four of us--your former colleagues, two 
     Republicans and two Democrats--who will not be seeking office 
     again recently met to discuss an issue of great importance to 
     the nation: the future of Social Security's retirement trust 
     fund.
       If this problem is not addressed immediately, the 
     difficulties will mount and the long-run picture for both the 
     fund and the confidence in our system of government is grim. 
     The sooner you address this problem, the easier it will be to 
     resolve. Postponing responsible action may be temporarily 
     politically attractive, but history will be harsh on those 
     who ducked when action was needed.
       We believe that salvaging Social Security requires these 
     two fundamental changes:
       1. Congress should act to correct the Consumer Price Index 
     to reflect reality.
       2. Congress should remove the cap on the taxable amount of 
     income covered by Social Security.
       The fundamental decisions on the future of Social Security 
     should not be in the hands of technicians, but in the hands 
     of those who are elected by the people to reflect the values 
     of this nation and to make fundamental decisions.
       If you accept the recommendations we make, you will provide 
     the nation with a solvent Social Security retirement system, 
     along with a much healthier fiscal base.
       If the sacrifices that we call upon people to make are 
     accepted, the trust fund should be secure for the lifetime of 
     our children and grandchildren. That is no small gift to the 
     future of our nation. You are in a position to make that 
     contribution.
       This is a time that calls for your leadership. We 
     respectfully ask you to meet this challenge.
     John Danforth.
     Paul Simon.
     David Pryor.
     Alan Simpson.

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