WASHINGTON–The Concord Coalition Citizens Council today announced its
support of the National Dialogue on Social Security Act of 1998 (H.R.
3546). The legislation is sponsored by House Ways and Means Committee
Chairman Bill Archer (R-Texas).
WASHINGTON–The Concord Coalition Citizens Council today announced its
support of the National Dialogue on Social Security Act of 1998 (H.R.
3546). The legislation is sponsored by House Ways and Means Committee
Chairman Bill Archer (R-Texas).
"In order to prepare our nation’s citizens for the kind of changes
required to put Social Security on a sound footing through the next
century, they need to hear what the issues are and the pros and cons of
various options," said Martha Phillips, executive director of the
Concord Coalition Citizens Council. "We applaud this bill for advancing
a balanced, bipartisan dialogue."
The bill would convene a "National Dialogue on Social Security"
to engage the American public through regional conferences and internet
exchanges. A Dialogue Council would be nominated by 25 organizations,
including the Concord Coalition, to advise on the development and
operation of the conferences.
The bill also would establish an eight-member bipartisan Joint
Committee on Social Security Reform to take suggestions and develop a
proposal for Social Security reform. The House Ways and Means Committee
gave its approval to the bill in a voice vote last week.
"Based on our experience hosting meetings around the nation on
this issue, the Concord Coalition Citizens Council is convinced that if
the American people are armed with the facts and given the opportunity
for honest dialogue, they will reach decisions that are fair to people
in all ages and income groups," said Phillips.
The Concord Coalition and the American Association of Retired Persons
(AARP) are currently cosponsoring a series of bipartisan discussions
designed to lay the foundation for Social Security reform. The first
forum, attended by President Clinton, was held in Kansas City, Mo., on
April 7. Concord also continues to sponsor its Paul Tsongas Project, a
series of public forums designed to engage Americans of all ages and
socioeconomic backgrounds in a public debate about the future of Social
Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and the options for reform.
