04/12/13
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, D.C.– In response to the inclusion of chained CPI in the president’s FY 2014 budget, Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Tom Harkin (D-IA), Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN), Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), John Conyers (D-MN) and Donna Edwards (D-MD), and AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka held a press conference declaring their opposition to cutting benefits earned by America’s working families.
“We have come together here to express our collective opposition to a bad policy proposal—and that is the chained CPI,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. “Chained CPI is some economist’s fancy way of weakening one of Social Security’s most important protections, namely its cost of living increase—its annual COLA—that protects the purchasing power of benefits from inflation. Social Security represents the best of American values—and it works. I call on the President and members of Congress to use our energy to protect and enhance—rather than diminish—one of our nation’s finest and most popular family protection programs.”
“At a time when millions of working families are struggling economically, I am deeply disappointed that the president’s budget would make significant cuts in Social Security and veterans’ benefits and raise taxes on low- and middle-income Americans,” Senator Bernie Sanders said.
“Do not be distracted by the technicalities of chained CPI. We are talking about one thing: slashing Social Security benefits,” said Senator Tom Harkin. “The President apparently believes that by proposing this cut to Social Security, he will get the ball rolling on budget negotiations. This is misguided. Cutting Social Security is a bad place to start, and a bad place to end. Instead of deficit reduction that hurts seniors and the middle class, we should be targeting the nearly hundreds of billions in wasteful tax breaks for the wealthy.”
“Working Americans and retirees shouldn’t be treated like bargaining chips or told to pick up the tab for corporate tax loopholes,” Co-Chair Raúl M. Grijalva said. “This Beltway-driven search for a mythical grand bargain with conservative ideologues has gone on long enough. We should have been focusing on creating job opportunities for the past several years, not making life harder for working people. Cutting Social Security flies in the face of public opinion, basic fairness and economic common sense. I’m proud to stand with the many millions of people all over the country who are saying no.”
“With private savings and retirements in steady decline, Social Security is more important for seniors’ livelihood than ever,” Co-Chair Keith Ellison said. “Our opposition to Chained CPI is not about politics. It is about the couple in Minneapolis who lost their home during the financial crisis and need Social Security more than ever. It is about the disabled veteran who served his country, but will now be hit with a double benefit cut because Washington refuses to close a single loophole for special interests. Instead of supporting policies that harm seniors, let’s get back to the real problems facing this country—creating 21st century jobs in America, confronting climate change and growing income inequality, and making sure seniors have an adequate retirement on which to live. Let’s oppose the Chained CPI.”
“The chained CPI was a Boehner/McConnell demand in the negotiations during the December budget talks,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “It was a bad idea then and it is a bad idea now. We should not be negotiating with those who want to take Social Security benefits hostage and seniors shouldn’t be a bargaining chip. It’s time that the Republicans agree to raise revenues that put people back to work in good-paying jobs without demanding cuts to Medicare and Social Security in exchange.”
“The ‘Chained CPI’ proposal included in the President’s budget request is a bad idea that would cut benefits earned by our nation’s seniors over a lifetime of hard work,” said Congressman John Conyers. “Instead of penalizing seniors, veterans, and the disabled, Congress should be pursuing policies that create good jobs and strengthen the health and retirement security of all Americans. I stand with my Congressional Progressive Caucus colleagues in opposing any cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security benefits.”
“I join my House Democratic colleagues in reaffirming our opposition to the use of the chained CPI, which without question would result in a benefit cut,” said Congresswoman Donna Edwards. “Use of the chained CPI would be detrimental to the 56 million seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and children who rely on Social Security. These cuts do not reflect the values of our nation, and we urge President Obama to pursue a compromise that reduces our deficit responsibly and grows our economy.”
“In an effort to compromise with Republicans, the President’s budget contains a wrongheaded provision that extracts revenues from middle class pocketbooks instead of wealthy corporate interests,” Executive Vice President of The Leadership Conference on Human Rights Nancy Zirkin said. “The chained CPI has no place with retirees, who spend more of their money on housing and health care – where costs keep rising, and where it’s hard to find cheaper alternatives.”
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