[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 63 (Thursday, May 16, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H2516]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            SOCIAL SECURITY

  (Ms. SANCHEZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about Social 
Security. Since the Social Security Act became law in 1935, it has 
reduced poverty among our seniors and allowed generations of retirees 
to live with dignity and with independence. So could there be a better 
reason not to spend Social Security on anything other than Social 
Security?
  Well, my Republican colleagues have produced a budget that spends 
hundreds of billions of dollars from the Social Security fund on other 
programs. Democrats want to strengthen and to preserve Social Security. 
American families work hard and they pay into that system, and they 
should be able to count on Social Security when they retire.
  That is why privatization is clearly the wrong approach. It forces 
benefit cuts, it increases the risk, and it removes the guarantee that 
Social Security will be there when we need it, when we retire.
  Do not be fooled. Democrats believe that working families have earned 
a secure retirement. We want to strengthen and protect Social Security, 
not spend it on other programs or on tax cuts to the wealthiest.

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