RE: Will Congress answer the public's call for action?

[National Dialogue Moderator <moderator>]

I believe it is possible for Congress to craft a bipartisan bill that will
save Social Security.  As Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, I have
stated publicly on a number of occasions that I will continue to work hard
to craft a bill that will garner support across party lines.  However,
Republicans will not attempt to pass a bill on their own--this would be
political suicide. Democrats in the past have successfully demagogued
efforts by Republicans to address any aspect of Social Security--as a
result we are very leery of going it alone.  If my colleagues and the
President will join me in putting principle before politics and ideas
before ambition, I believe we can get the job done this year.

The President has stated that he wants Social Security reform; now is the
time for him to step forward and lead his party as well as the country
toward a bill we can all agree on.

Rep. Bill Archer