[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 30, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E477]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM TREA SENIOR CITIZENS LEAGUE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GENE TAYLOR

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 30, 2004

  Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, in January I introduced H.J. 
Res. 88, a bill proposing a Constitutional amendment to make the Social 
Security trust funds, the Medicare trust funds, the military retirement 
trust fund, and the civil service retirement trust fund off-budget so 
that the annual budget deficit will reflect the true costs of the 
obligations that accrue each year.
  My bill has been endorsed by the TREA Senior Citizens League, an 
affiliate of The Retired Enlisted Association. I would like to insert 
the letter of support from George A. Smith, Chairman of TREA Senior 
Citizens League into the Record:

                                                 January 15, 2004.
     Hon. Gene Taylor
     Rayburn House Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Taylor: TSCL, a nonpartisan advocacy 
     organization consisting of some 1.2 million members and 
     supporters nationwide, understands that you intend to 
     reintroduce a constitutional amendment resolution that would 
     lock Social Security, Medicare and military retirement trust 
     funds off budget. On behalf of our members and supporters, I 
     want to convey our strong support for your resolution.
       Contrary to popular belief, Social Security and other trust 
     fund monies are not kept separate from other government 
     funds. The government uses those monies when it needs to, and 
     simply writes an IOU to the trust fund. I believe the 
     American people would be outraged if they truly understood 
     this was happening.
       Also, because of the way the government counts the 
     surpluses that we have in the various trust funds, the 
     deficit appears to be less than it really is. Once again, I 
     believe if the American people would see the true size of the 
     deficit, there would be an end to business as usual in 
     Washington. As Comptroller General David Walker said in a 
     September 2003 speech, ```while we are starting off in a 
     financial hole, we don't really have a very good picture of 
     how deep it is'' because the Congressional Budget Office and 
     the Office of Management and Budget's current measurement and 
     scorekeeping approaches relay an incomplete and misleading 
     picture of the government's financial condition.'' [Roll 
     Call, September 18, 2003]
       TSCL also applauds the approach you are taking by 
     introducing a constitutional amendment resolution. If 
     legislation only were to be enacted, we believe that Congress 
     and the White House would ignore or work around the law. This 
     is why it is imperative that a constitutional amendment be 
     ratified.
       TSCL's parent organization is The Retired Enlisted 
     Association. As such, we are especially grateful for the 
     protections you seek not only for Social Security and 
     Medicare trust funds, but also for the military retirement 
     and disability trust fund.
       Please be assured, Rep. Taylor, that we will be doing 
     whatever we can do to move this resolution forward. Again, 
     thank you for your efforts. We look forward to working with 
     you on this critical matter.
           Warm Regards,
                                                  George A. Smith,
                                                         Chairman.




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