Cass Ballenger: “to make sure that the Social Security and Medicare are there when people need it, the Republican plan locks away 100…”

“to make sure that the Social Security and Medicare are there when people need it, the Republican plan locks away 100 percent of the retirement surplus in a safe deposit box. Now I know that the response of many seniors in my district is, ``But I thought that was already the case,'' or, ``Why wasn't that done a long time ago?'' Mr. Speaker, I cannot answer for 40 years of Democrat control of this body, but I can say that Republicans are taking the lead on the issue. While the President's plan takes only 62 percent of the surplus and reserves it for Social Security, the Republican plan takes 100 percent of the retirement surplus and locks it away for both Social Security and Medicare. Now let me repeat that the Republican plan locks away 100 percent of the retirement surplus and reserves it for Social Security and Medicare. Let us not kid ourselves. The retirement surplus alone will not solve the problems of Social Security and Medicare, but our commitment to strengthen these two programs and protect seniors is clear. Mr. Speaker, I urge my Democrat colleagues to join us in a commitment to protecting these programs for seniors.”