Bill Clinton: “Good afternoon. Thank you, Ken . As Ken said, I'm speaking to you from Kansas City, where we're talking about what we…”

“Good afternoon. Thank you, Ken . As Ken said, I'm speaking to you from Kansas City, where we're talking about what we must do as a nation to strengthen Social Security for the 21st century, and I'm looking forward to continuing to talk with you today. Let me begin by thanking Representatives Bob Borski, Ben Cardin, Nancy Johnson, Jim Kolbe, and Jerry Weller for holding these town meetings across our Nation. For each of you lawmakers, these forums are not the only way you've worked to strengthen Social Security. Representatives Borski and Cardin are cosponsors of key legislation to establish the ``Save Social Security First Reserve Fund.'' Representative Borski supports saving any budgetary surplus for investment in Social Security, and I know Representative Cardin does as well. Now, Representative Johnson has been a strong advocate for Social Security beneficiaries. She has urged her fellow Members of Congress to continue to act with fiscal restraint as they debate what to do with the budget surplus. Representative Kolbe is one of our foremost experts on retirement and pension policy and is the sponsor of a resolution to establish a joint commission on Social Security reform. And Representative Weller has been a powerful voice for protecting the Social Security Trust Fund and was an original cosponsor of the ``Social Security Preservation Act.'' Together, all of you are proving that we can work in a bipartisan way to make sure that Social Security is as solid for our children as it was for our parents, and I thank you for that. As you know, this year, working together with Congress, we'll be balancing the budget for the first time in 30 years. We have a right to be proud of that achievement, but we must also build on it. In the State of the Union, I called on Congress to set aside every penny of any budget surplus until we save Social Security first. Social Security is deeply woven into our Nation's social fabric. For 60 years, it's meant more than an ID number on a tax form, even more than a monthly check in the mail. It reflects our deepest values and the duties we owe to one another. Today, 44 million Americans depend upon Social Security. For two- thirds of our seniors, it's the main source of income, and one in three beneficiaries are nonretirees. Social Security is life insurance and disability benefits as well as a rock-solid foundation of retirement security. Today, Social Security is sound, but a demographic crisis looms if we fail to act. For over the next 30 years, 76 million baby boomers will retire. By 2030 there will be twice as many elderly Americans as there are today. If we don't act now, by then payroll contributions will only cover 75 percent of benefits. That's why I've challenged our Nation to act now to strengthen Social Security for the 21st century. Here are the principles I want to follow for meeting this challenge. First, any reform should strengthen and protect Social Security for the 21st century. We can't abandon the basic core program that's been one of the great successes of our Nation's history. Second, we must maintain the universality and the fairness of Social Security. For a half-century this program has been a progressive guarantee for citizens. We have to keep it that way. Third, Social Security must provide a benefit people can count on. Regardless of the ups and downs of the economy or the financial markets, we must make certain that Social Security will provide a foundation of retirement security. Fourth, Social Security must continue to provide financial security for disabled and low-income beneficiaries. We can never forget the one out of three Social Security beneficiaries who aren't retirees. And fifth, any strengthening of Social Security must maintain America's hard-won fiscal discipline, one of the main reasons we're enjoying our prosperity today. These are the five principles that will guide me on Social Security, principles by which I'll judge all possible proposals. They're principles I believe can and should guide us all as we work to forge a national consensus for reform. Above all, I know that we can strengthen Social Security only if we reach across the lines of party, philosophy, and generation with open minds and generous spirits. For too long, politicians have called Social Security the ``third rail'' of American politics. That's Washington language for ``You can't really discuss any changes seriously.'' This year we have to prove them wrong. I know that on the political calendar, 1998 is an election year. But on the Social Security calendar, let's all resolve to make 1998 an education year, a year we come to grips with the problems of the system and come together to find the answers. These forums are a very hopeful beginning, and I'm pleased to have had this chance to start this vitally important dialog with all of you today. This December we'll host a White House Conference on Social Security, and in January I'll convene the leaders of Congress to draft a plan to save Social Security for the 21st century. I'm confident we'll meet this challenge as Americans always do, by working together, honoring our values, and preserving the solemn compact between generations that helped to build our Nation. Now I'd like to turn the discussion over to Congressman Borski. Bob, take it away. [At this point, Representatives hosting the regional forums each made brief remarks.]”