[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 9 (Wednesday, February 2, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H290]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       WOMEN AND SOCIAL SECURITY

  (Ms. SOLIS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to denounce the phony Social 
Security crisis that the President is trying to sell the American 
public. As the new Democratic Chair of the Women's Caucus, I am 
especially concerned because women are the first targets to be thrown 
off the lifeboat. Women account for 70 percent of all Social Security 
beneficiaries older than 85 years of age. Women depend more on Social 
Security because they often live longer than their spouses, anywhere 
from 7 to 10 years. Many have less retirement savings because they 
stopped working to raise their children and to take time out to take 
care of a family member.
  In the community I represent in East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel 
Valley, there are nearly 60,000 Social Security beneficiaries. Many are 
disabled women, widows and wives who rely very heavily on their hard-
earned monthly Social Security benefits.
  Democrats believe that all American workers should get the benefits 
they paid into. We will fight to improve the Social Security system, 
not dismantle it. As one of my colleagues said, ``Let's not throw 
grandma out with the bath water.''

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