Are you looking for...
  Biography
  Contact Information
  My Privacy Policy
  A Guide to this Site

 Services
  Academy Nominations 
  Agency Assistance
  Becoming a Page
  Capitol Flags
  Grant Assistance
  Internship Opportunities
  Special Recognitions
  Visiting Washington, DC
  
 Key Issues
  Prescription Drugs
  Social Security
  Issues In Focus

 Press
  Press Releases
  Radio Actualities
  Monthly Columns
  Cable Show

 Features
  Photo Gallery
  Virtual U.S. Capitol Tour

  E-mail Me!

Welcome to my Social Security Online Resource Center. Now more than ever, we need to fight to keep the security in Social Security! On this website, you can get more information about the proposed changes to Social Security, including a benefit calculator that allows you to see how well you'll do if the President's plan is enacted. You can also read reports about the future of Social Security, learn more about how Social Security works, and sign my Online Petition to tell Congress and President Bush that privatization is not the answer!

		SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION Make your voice heard! Sign the online petition to save Social Security from privatization.
		Social Security Calculator Find out how you'll do if the Bush plan is enacted. Will you make money or lose money? Just enter in some numbers and find out!
		Glossary of Key Terms Understand the key terms surrounding the Social Security debate. From actuarial balance to wage indexing, here is everything you need to talk about this issue like an insider.
		Privatizing Social Security: Benefit Cuts and Increased Debt for African-Americans This special report by the Democratic Policy Committee examines how proposed changes to Social Security are especially bad for African-Americans.
		Privitizing Social Security: Benefit Cuts and Increased Debt for Our Familias This report by the Democratic Policy Committee examines how proposed changes to Social Security are bad for Hispanic families. Also available in Spanish.
		Privatizing Social Security: Benefit Cuts and Increased Debt for Women This special report by the Democratic Policy Committee highlights how privatization proposals are especially risky for women in America.
		How will President Bush's plan impact Michigan? The current Social Security privatization scheme would push hundreds of thosands of Michigan families into poverty, and would have devastating effects on our economy. This report by the National Women's Law Center covers the basics.
		Economic Policy Institute's Guide to Social Security This extremely informative guide covers all the ins and outs of how Social Security works, what the effects of privatization would be, and offers some proposals of how we can keep Social Security secure without risky privatization schemes.
		Connect to your State Representatives and Senators Find out more about how our Michigan Legislators in Lansing are getting involved in the Social Security debate.

Social Security is a great American success story. It represents the very best of our American values: after a life of hard work, you earn the right to a secure retirement, living in dignity. Before Social Security, 50% of older Americans were living in poverty. Today, it’s only 10%.

Social Security doesn’t just ensure a secure retirement; it’s also a disability policy and a life insurance policy. Did you know that Social Security protects you whether you’re a 22-year-old just starting your career or you’re a 75-year-old retiree? It covers you if anything goes terribly wrong – a financial crisis, death of a spouse or parent, or if you become disabled.

Some people are trying to scare Americans by manufacturing a crisis. Let’s look at the facts: The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reports Social Security can pay 100% of its commitments until the year 2052. Even after that, Social Security will be able to pay nearly 80% of its commitments – hardly a crisis.

President Bush’s privatization plan will actually undermine our economy and make Social Security less secure, with deep cuts in benefits and huge increases in the national debt:

• Benefit cuts of one-third or more, even for those who choose not to risk their money in privatized accounts. According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research, the average retiree can expect to lose more than $152,000 in benefits over the course of a 20-year retirement.

• Substantial increases in the national debt. Privatization adds $2 trillion in debt over 10 years, and much of that would be borrowed from countries like China and Japan. Already our nation has the highest budget deficit in history. Further debt could destabilize financial markets, drive up interest rates, and stifle economic growth – forcing our children and grandchildren to pay for these financial burdens.

We need to strengthen Social Security and make sensible changes for the long term, not dismantle this great program with privatization schemes. We need to exercise fiscal discipline. For example, Social Security would stay secure for the next 75 years if the wealthiest citizens in our country received 80% of the President’s tax cuts instead of the full amount the President is requesting.

We need to build on the success of Social Security by developing bold and innovative ways for Americans to build wealth and save for retirement.

I will continue my work to keep the security in Social Security. And I need your help. You can add your name to this fight by signing up here. I will keep you posted on developments related to Social Security and what you can do to stay involved on this issue.

Thanks for your interest and for joining the fight!