[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16651]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       SOCIAL SECURITY AND WOMEN

  (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak 
about Social Security and the millions of American women who rely on it 
every day.
  Women are among one of the largest groups of Social Security 
beneficiaries who stand to lose a great deal should Social Security be 
privatized. On average, women live 3 years longer than men. Any 
contributions to a private account would have to stretch out over more 
years.
  Additionally, the private accounts do not have the guaranteed annual 
cost-of-living increase in Social Security which would jeopardize the 
retirement and economic security of older women through the gamble of 
the stock market.
  Social Security is a good deal for women because it gives people with 
lower earnings a greater return on what they paid in, and women on 
average have lower incomes and less time in the workforce.
  Mr. Speaker, it is high time we quit talking about privatizing Social 
Security and instead come up with ways to strengthen it.

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