Thank you very much for your words of support for the Kolbe-Stenholm proposal. Your comments about considering the tax burden is particularly well taken. In developing our proposal, we felt that it was important to consider both the benefits offered and the tax burden -- both payroll taxes and income taxes -- that would be required to suport the program. Looking at the benefits that a plan promises without considering the tax burdent that will be required to support that level of benefits provides an incomplete perspective. While our plan may not be perfect, I believe we have found a reasonable balance between adequete benefit levels and limiting burdens on future taxpayers.
