PANAMA CITY — U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Panama City, has been honored by two organizations representing seniors.

They are RetireSafe and The 60 Plus Association.

Southerland received the “Guardian of Seniors Rights Award” last month by the 60 Plus Association for his record in Congress of fighting for America’s seniors and protecting Medicare. Jim Martin, chairman of 60 Plus, was on hand at St. Andrews Towers in Panama City to present the award to Southerland.

“When I came to Washington, I pledged to fight for Florida’s seniors and protect Medicare,” Southerland said. “I am proud to have kept that promise by voting to restore $716 billion in Medicare funding that was cut under the health care reform law and opposing a debt limit deal that cut nearly $150 billion more. I appreciate this prestigious recognition from 60 Plus with the understanding that there is much work remaining in addressing the challenges facing our seniors.”

The 60 Plus Association is a conservative seniors organization with more than 7.2 million senior supporters.

RetireSafe, representing more than 400,000 seniors nationwide and joined by local senior advocates, honored Southerland for his efforts to protect the health benefits and security of Florida’s seniors.

“America’s seniors continue to count on those in Washington who are willing to put politics aside and fight for the benefits they have earned,” RetireSafe president Thair Phillips said in released statement.

“The benefits and rights of seniors are under attack and seniors need champions in Washington to preserve the benefits that many seniors depend on,” he continued. “RetireSafe is pleased to be able to recognize these members of Congress, some of them for the second time in a row, for their tireless work in protecting Medicare and supporting seniors both in Washington and locally.”

Bipartisan groups of Congress have been recognized by RetireSafe in their home districts throughout the August recess, organizations members noted. According to RetireSafe, honorees have acted to protect seniors’ health care benefits, by ensuring access to affordable medications through Medicare Part D, opposing any laws or regulations that threaten the doctor/patient relationship and speaking out against proposals that threaten to limit access to health care and increase Medicare premiums.

RetireSafe is a nonprofit, nonpartisan grassroots organization that advocates and educates on behalf of America’s seniors on issues regarding Social Security, Medicare, health and financial well-being.