Bob Wise: “Mr. Chairman, the best way to preserve Social Security and keep it intact is to keep it off budget. That, indeed, is…”

“Mr. Chairman, the best way to preserve Social Security and keep it intact is to keep it off budget. That, indeed, is what I think I have heard at some point. A majority of my colleagues, in written statements, spoken statements, speeches to senior citizens, say that we have to preserve the integrity of Social Security. I suspect that if we look deep within our minds, that everyone in here at some point has promised to work to get Social Security to the status of an independent agency and off budget. If we want it off budget, then we cannot pass a constitutional amendment that locks it forever in the budget. ... If we want to protect Social Security, then I think we have to support the so-called Wise-Price-Pomeroy-Furse amendment that takes it off budget and settles that question.”