Maureen, thank you for your opening remarks. The Social Security System is many things with many functions: (1) A
general insurance for the elderly, to insure a minimal economic standard of living in retirement. (2) A Social Insurance system to
provide a safety net for our citizens who become sick or disabled and can not work. Social Security will be the only means of income for some middle income people and many lower income people, when they retire or become disabled. The affluent financial status of the 90's only applies to a small percent of the population and the many working poor depend on these benefits being there in retirement and sickness. We need to preserve the solvency of these benefits and insure equitable fairness to minorities, women, the elderly, retired, and disabled.
