(Washington, DC, March 14, 2005) — Keeping Social Security as the safety net that it was intended to be was the focus of a Congressional Black Caucus hearing on Monday.  “We have an obligation to speak out, to defend and protect Social Security and to make sure that our constituents understand the issues and are fully informed for this debate,” said Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen.

The Delegate said that Democrats will never abandon Social Security and will always lead in the effort to protect and strengthen it.  But whatever is done on behalf of the program, Christensen urged her colleagues to make sure that Americans in the territories enjoy the level of benefits afforded their counterparts on the mainland.

“The US Virgin Islands has never had the benefit of SSI to help our people with disabilities better meet the demands of daily living,” she said. “We must be assured that we will be treated with fairness and equity in current and future social security.”

At the Monday afternoon hearing, the CBC heard from Barbara Kenelly, the President of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, Dr. Maya Rockeymoore, CBCF Vice President of Research and Programs, Dr. Marcellus Andrews, Sr. Fellow of the New America Foundation, Ms. Marie Smith, President of the AARPand Rev. Jeffrey Johnson, Host and Producer of a BET program on black youth perspective on private accounts.