"There is another answer. The only reason the trust fund is an issue is because the law says that benefits have to be paid out of the trust fund."
"the greatest threat to the Republic as we know it is the division in the body politic"
"Rising deficits and debt are an economic and a national security concern."
"It is imperative that the Congress begin to act immediately, and the failure to do so could indeed signal the end of the Republic as we know it."
"The Energy and Commerce Committee can do the same thing with Medicaid, and while they are at that one, they can passionately look at the oil subsidies that cost us billions."
"So I think you have got to have the ability to have an expedited procedure in the United States Senate and then to have a vote."
"$33 trillion begins to add up to a huge issue of a tremendous and immoral burden on future generations."
"Of course, deficits and debt matter."
"A properly structured bipartisan fiscal commission can build trust, expand knowledge, and, yes, provide a little political cover to Members of Congress who want to do the right thing."
"So it is my strong belief that the Republican Party unilaterally will not be able to solve those issues, nor will the Democrat Party in this chamber, or in either chamber, solve the issues of Social S..."
"this Congress is going to have to muster the courage to fix this, and we can no longer hide behind the politics of everything"