Response to Tom Matzzie
- Date: Fri, 28 May 1999 16:21:08 -0400 (EDT)
- From: National Dialogue Moderator <moderator>
- Subject: Response to Tom Matzzie
- Contributor: PANELIST: Senator Rick Santorum
[Moderator's Note: Senator Santorum is responding to a question
that Tom Matzzie posed in the General Discussion. He questioned
the Senator's participation in the Current Legislative Proposals
Roundtable prior to the introduction of a specific legislative
proposal.]
Thanks for your comments, Tom. I appreciate hearing from you.
Though I have not yet introduced my own Social Security reform
legislation, I am developing a plan that is up on the Web site. I look
forward to the opportunity of discussing this legislation with you.
ADSS and Information Renaissance invited Members of Congress who have
introduced plans or will soon be doing so. I fall into the latter
category with President Clinton and Congressmen Archer/Shaw in putting
ideas and proposals before the public for discussion. It is our hope
that, like you, people will appreciate that it is healthy to debate
ideas and it is alright to even disagree with them -- at least you have
the opportunity to view our proposals.
I have long been concerned about the viability of our most vital social
program. Because of my dedication to saving and strengthening Social
Security, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott appointed me as Co-Chair of
the Senate Republican Task Force on Social Security. In this capacity,
Senator Judd Gregg and I led discussions and analyses among Members of
Congress about the need to reform Social Security soon and how that reform
might best be achieved. Senator Gregg and I are in agreement that adding
a personal savings component to Social Security is the best way to secure
the best retirement security for all, and at a cost that future
generations can bear.
Again, thank you for contacting me. I hope this answers your question. I
would be most interested in knowing how the Institute for America's future
would go about solving Social Security's serious financing problems.
Senator Rick Santorum