Now that the impeachment trial is over, Congress should redirect its attention to the issues that concern America’s growing senior-citizen population. Congress must do the following:
– Protect Social Security by requiring that all future budget surpluses be used to repay the money that has been improperly siphoned out of the Social Security trust fund over the past 30 years.
– Immediately enact “notch-baby” legislation, which will fully restore the lost Social Security benefits of senior citizens born from 1917 through 1926. The “notch-babies” grew up during the Great Depression, fought in World War II and produced the Baby Boomer children. But when they retired, this group of senior citizens received less in Social Security benefits than other retirees who were born before and after them. This injustice must be immediately corrected.
– Increase the Social Security death benefit so that it covers at least 25 percent of an average funeral’s cost. This new amount should be indexed annually for inflation so it keeps pace with rising funeral costs.
– Ensure that every American senior citizen has access to high-quality, low-cost health care that maximizes patient choice of physicians. Long-term health care (i.e. in-home, assisted-living and nursing home) must be part of this comprehensive health-care package for senior citizens. Also physicians and patients must be allowed to make health-care decisions without interference from HMO corporate bureaucrats.
– Enact legislation that prevents the pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies from overcharging senior citizens for their products.
For too long now, the politicians in Washington have ignored the concerns of our nation’s senior citizens.
