62 House Democrats Urge President Obama to Protect Social Security Revenues, Reject Another Payroll Tax Cut

Today, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern joined Reps. Ted Deutch (FL-19), Lloyd Doggett (TX-25), and Mark Critz (PA-12) and fifty-eight of their Democratic colleagues on a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to reject another payroll tax cut and instead consider alternative proposals that do not jeopardize Social Security's time-tested independent revenue stream. The bipartisan tax compromise passed last winter set a dangerous precedent by reducing employee contributions to Social Security and replenishing the Trust Fund with deficit spending from the general fund. Social Security was established with a dedicated revenue source to prohibit it from contributing to the budget deficit and to protect the retirement security of America's workers from politically motivated budgetary attacks.

Washington, DC, July 27, 2011
Today, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern joined Reps. Ted Deutch (FL-19), Lloyd Doggett (TX-25), and Mark Critz (PA-12) and fifty-eight of their Democratic colleagues on a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to reject another payroll tax cut and instead consider alternative proposals that do not jeopardize Social Security's time-tested independent revenue stream. The bipartisan tax compromise passed last winter set a dangerous precedent by reducing employee contributions to Social Security and replenishing the Trust Fund with deficit spending from the general fund. Social Security was established with a dedicated revenue source to prohibit it from contributing to the budget deficit and to protect the retirement security of America's workers from politically motivated budgetary attacks.

Washington, Jul 21 - Today, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern joined Reps. Ted Deutch (FL-19), Lloyd Doggett (TX-25), and Mark Critz (PA-12) and fifty-eight of their Democratic colleagues on a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to reject another payroll tax cut and instead consider alternative proposals that do not jeopardize Social Security's time-tested independent revenue stream. The bipartisan tax compromise passed last winter set a dangerous precedent by reducing employee contributions to Social Security and replenishing the Trust Fund with deficit spending from the general fund. Social Security was established with a dedicated revenue source to prohibit it from contributing to the budget deficit and to protect the retirement security of America's workers from politically motivated budgetary attacks.

-We remain gravely concerned that yet another, unacceptable cut to Social Security's revenue stream appears to be on the table,- the members write to the President. -Enemies of Social Security reject valid proposals to give the same level of tax relief to the same Americans or American businesses without using the Social Security revenue stream and resultant general fund transfers… We are greatly concerned that a permanent extension of the 2011 payroll tax cut would double Social Security's long-range shortfall and make long-term solutions nearly impossible.-

A copy of the letter is available here.

Joining Reps. Deutch, Doggett, and Critz on the letter are Reps. Joe Baca (CA-43), Robert Brady (PA-01), Corrine Brown (FL-03), Andre Carson (IN-07), Judy Chu (CA-32), Hansen Clarke (MI-13), Yvette Clarke (NY-11), William Lacy Clay (MO-01), Steve Cohen (TN-09), John Conyers (MI-14), Rep. Elijah Cummings (MD-07), Danny Davis (IL-07), Peter DeFazio (OR-04), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Mike Doyle (PA-14), Donna Edwards (MD-04), Keith Ellison (MN-05), Sam Farr (CA-17), Bob Filner (CA-51), Barney Frank (MA-04), Marcia Fudge (OH-11), John Garamendi (CA-10), Gene Green (TX-29), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Luis Gutierrez (IL-04), Alcee Hastings (FL-23), Maurice Hinchey (NY-22), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Jesse Jackson, JR. (IL-02), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Dennis Kucinich (OH-10), Rick Larsen (WA-02), Barbara Lee (CA-09), John Lewis (GA-05), Carolyn Maloney (NY-14), Edward Markey (MA-07), Jim McDermott (WA-07), Jim McGovern (MA-03), Mike Michaud (ME-02), George Miller (CA-07), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Jerrold Nadler (NY-28), Grace Napolitano (CA-32), John Olver (MA-01), Donald Payne (NJ-10), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Bobby Rush (IL-01), Tim Ryan (OH-17), Gregorio Sablan (MP-AL), Louise Slaughter (NY-28), Betty Sutton (OH-13), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Paul Tonko (NY-21), Pete Visclosky (IN-01), Maxine Waters (CA-35), Peter Welch (VT-AL), Frederica Wilson (FL-17), Lynn Woolsey (CA-06), and David Wu (OR-01).