Bob Dole: “And there was nothing in the resolution last year that protected Social Security. All this talk about protecting Social…”

“And there was nothing in the resolution last year that protected Social Security. All this talk about protecting Social Security is a cover for the taxes that were increased on Social Security benefits by the very people who are announcing, ``Oh, no; we cannot touch Social Security.'' We want the record to be clear on that issue, as people look at it in the next few months. There will be ample time to look at it in the next few months. On January 26, the Senate voted 83 to 16 to adopt a sense-of-the-Senate amendment stating we should not raise Social Security taxes or cut Social Security benefits in order to balance the budget. On February 9, the Senate adopted a motion reaffirming that commitment by a vote of 87 to 10. The House had done the same by a vote of 412 to 8. No doubt about it, there is clearly strong, bipartisan support to protect Social Security. So all these other machinations and all the games that have been played in the last few days was an effort. I do not know what the effort was all about. I guess maybe to tell people, ``Well, I voted one way last year, but this is a different year, and things have changed.'' Well, nothing has changed in the amendment. That is why I want the amendments put in the Record, so the American people know precisely that some people voted for one thing, and against the same thing the next year. That is fine. We have a right to change our mind.”