Dusty Johnson: “shortly before our adjournment last December, I was joined by several of my Senate colleagues in introducing the Social…”

“shortly before our adjournment last December, I was joined by several of my Senate colleagues in introducing the Social Security COLA Protection Act of 2007. This legislation will provide seniors with much-needed relief from steadily increasing Medicare premiums and will ensure that their Social Security cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, is available for other essential needs such as food, housing, and energy. I want to first thank Senators Boxer, Inouye, Leahy, Mikulski, Murray, Reed, Rockefeller, and Salazar for joining me in this effort. Representative Herseth Sandlin introduced the companion bill today in the House of Representatives, and I want to thank her for her leadership on this issue and other important topics to seniors in South Dakota. Sixteen percent of South Dakotans are Medicare beneficiaries. When compared to a national average of 14 percent, it is clear that Medicare policies significantly affect my home State. Many of these retirees live on modest, fixed incomes and must pay close attention to their monthly expenses. South Dakota's senior citizens worked very hard all of their lives as farmers, small business owners, teachers, and parents. In their retirement, all they are hoping for is an opportunity to enjoy a basic level of comfort and certainty. Unfortunately, as the cost of health care continues to rise at an alarming rate, it becomes more and more difficult for seniors to achieve this sense of security during retirement.”