[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 18]
[House]
[Pages 26563-26564]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



      PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS AND SAVE SOCIAL SECURITY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, before I begin I want it to be 
clear that I do not want to be associated with the remarks of the 
gentlemen on the other side of the aisle pertaining to education and I 
want to be clear I am talking about the Republicans. Let us not forget 
that in 1995 the Republicans repealed many of the educational programs 
that we were discussing here today. They voted to deny Pell grants to 
thousands of students. They voted to slash the safe and drug-free drug 
program. They voted to cut Head Start, deny thousands of children an 
early childhood education. They even voted to cut school lunch programs 
and they voted to cut food stamps for 14 million children.
  My constituents do not understand how a program is saved by cutting 
it. They knew that when they sent me here that I would never understand 
that concept, either.
  I come to the floor today to discuss another issue that is vital to 
the welfare of the citizens of the State of Florida. Currently, over 3 
million Floridians are receiving Social Security benefits, including 
over 100,000 in my district. Ever since the Democrats, and let me 
repeat that, ever since the Democrats created Social Security in 1935, 
let me repeat that again, the Democrats created Social Security in 
1935, not only has it been the centerpiece around which Americans 
planned their retirement but it has provided peace of mind and benefits 
to both the disabled workers and the children and sponsors of deceased 
beneficiaries.
  This peace of mind is something few private insurance plans offer. 
Social Security is especially important to the millions of women who 
rely on Social Security to keep them out of poverty. Elderly women, 
including widows, get over 50 percent of their income from Social 
Security. Women tend to live longer and tend to have lower lifetime 
earnings than men. They spend an average of 11.5 years out of their 
careers to care for the family and are more likely to work part time 
than full-time, and when they do work full-time they earn an average of 
70 cents of every dollar men earn. These women are either mothers, 
wives and daughters and we must save Social Security for them.
  I am glad to see that after years of demonizing the Social Security 
program, Republicans are starting to realize how important this program 
is. Unfortunately for the American people, my Republican colleagues 
talk the talk but they do not walk the walk. While the President and 
the Democrats in

[[Page 26564]]

Congress want to use the budget surplus to secure the Social Security 
program, Republicans want to give special interests and the wealthy a 
huge tax cut, over $700 billion the last time I checked.
  I recently had several young children visiting me here in Washington 
participating in the Voices Against Violence program. One of the first 
questions they asked me was whether or not Social Security would be 
there for them. I told them it would be there if we took this 
opportunity we now have to secure the program.
  So I ask my colleagues to do the right thing for the kids and the 
thousands of children throughout the United States who are wondering 
the same thing. Put your money where your mouth is and save Social 
Security.

                          ____________________