WASHINGTON - Congressman Adam H. Putnam (FL-12), a member of the Rules and Budget Committees, today participated on a panel of Congressional leaders, students, activists and journalists to discuss the impact of Social Security on younger generations.

“When Social Security was created in 1935, America was truly a different world. While our nation has changed greatly since those days, this critical program has not been updated to meet the needs of retirees in the 21st century,” said Putnam. “Imagine how different young people are from their grandparents and great-grandparents. They thought that a blackberry was only a fruit they put on their breakfast cereal, and the palm was nothing more than the state tree of Florida.”

Putnam joined Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senators Jim DeMint (R-SC) and John Sununu (R-NH), in a roundtable discussion on Tuesday with students and activists on the impact of Social Security on younger generations.

“There is a simple reason why young people should be interested in this debate. If you are 20 years old, you are eligible to retire in the year 2052, 11 years after the Social Security Trust Fund has been depleted. If you are finishing your master's degree, you are eligible to retire eight years after Social Security benefits have been reduced by approximately one quarter,” Putnam told the panelists.

“Clearly Social Security’s future is of interest to young people. Younger generations must bear the brunt of any change in benefits or increased payroll taxes, so it is only fitting that they have a seat at the table and that their voices are heard,” Putnam stated.

“I encourage young people of all ages to learn more about the plans under discussion, and then let your representatives know your views, because your retirement security depends on it. The Social Security debate is about generational fairness,” concluded Putnam. “Young people deserve as secure a retirement as their parents and grandparents, and this issue is far more important than petty partisan politics.

The Roundtable can be viewed at http://src.senate.gov/video/archive.ram on the Senate Republican Conference’s Social Security website - http://src.senate.gov/socialsecurity.