It took about 4 weeks but this morning I finally heard from the 4th most powerful Republican in Congress concerning my letter to her in which I mentioned my concern for keeping Social Security strong and for keeping the funding mechanism intact for those of you who like me are disabled and dependent on SSDI. I found lots of buzzwords and statements, some I will hold her too. Let me know what you think/or your thoughts:
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Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers
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Today at 7:50 AM
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Dear Mr. Harding:
Thank you for contacting me regarding recent changes to the Social Security Disability I nsurance ( SS DI) program that were included in H. Res. 5, Adopting rules for the One Hundred Fourteenth Congress . It is an honor to represent the people of Eastern Washington and I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me.
Like you, I know that Americans, especially individuals with disabilities, rely on the promise that Social Security will be there for them. As such, I am committed to making certain that the SSDI program will be available for those who need it most. As you may be aware, since 2005, SSDI costs have exceeded the non-interest income and as a result, the SSDI trust fund is projected to be exhausted during this Congress. Unless Congress and the Administration address this urgent problem, Americans with disabilities will see an across-the-board cut of 20% to their benefits.
To address the reduction in benefits, the Administration has proposed reallocating the Social Security payroll tax. However, this is not a long term solution and will only make the retirement program worse , thereby exposing our seniors to uncertainty. At this same time, th e Administration's proposal does nothing to fix the problems with the SSDI program. To that end, in H. Res. 5, the House included language that prevents diverting funds from the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance trust fund, which is already facing a significant unfunded liability, to cover the shortfall in the SSDI program. Additionally, the language provides for commonsense reforms to improving the Social Security system before Congress diverts money from the retirement program to the SSDI program. By setting the stage for reforms to the SSDI program , the House is making certain that the SSDI program will work better for future beneficiaries while also ensuring that the program is sustainable so that it can continue to pay the full benefits that were promised. As Congress continues its work, be assured that I will continue to protect SSDI for existing and future beneficiaries.
Thank you again for contact i ng me on this important issue. As your Representative in Congress, I am committed to putting the best interests of Eastern Washington first. Please visit my website at www.mcmorrisrodgers.house.gov for additional information or to sign up for my e-newsletter. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Member of Congress
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1:07 PM PT: sorry about the poll situation. I haven't used them before. I should have put in there a yes or no option. But I think we all know we are in the same boat when it comes to trusting Repugs. Hell NO!