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Mark Udall on Social Security
Democratic Representative (CO-2)
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Notch reform: ensure that all receive equitable benefits
Q: Notch babies receive lower Social Security benefits because they were born in the years 1917 and immediately thereafter. Do you support Notch Reform?A: I support efforts to ensure that all members of Social Security receive equitable benefits.
In the past, I have referred to the special committee report on Social Security notch reform, but would be open to more discussion on this issue. I also think we need to ensure that new notches do not emerge in future Social Security adjustments.
Source: Senior Citizens League Guide to the 2008 US Senate Campaigns
, Oct 10, 2008
Let technical experts decide COLA rates
Q: We strongly believe that the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that seniors are currently receiving does not accurately reflect how they must spend their money. Do you support COLA Fairness, based on the consumer price index
(CPI) for seniors?A: I have heard arguments on both side of this issue and I think this is a technical matter best resolved by experts, not politicians. However, I am open to continuing the discussion on this issue.
Source: Senior Citizens League Guide to the 2008 US Senate Campaigns
, Oct 10, 2008
All options on the table for long-term solvency
Q: Do you support Social Security Reform or Privatization?A: Social Security is our most important and most successful retirement-security program, and its long-term financial stability is important to everyone, not just senior citizens.
To address long-term solvency, I support creation of a bipartisan solvency commission along the lines of the Reagan-Dole-O’Neill agreement in the 1980s. Let’s put all options on the table, and engage the American people in a bipartisan approach.
Source: Senior Citizens League Guide to the 2008 US Senate Campaigns
, Oct 10, 2008
Lock box measure for Social Security & Medicare surpluses
Udall supports a lock box measure, limiting Congress’s ability to spend Social Security and Medicare surpluses on any other federal programs except Social Security and Medicare, until each program’s long-term solvency is guaranteed.
Source: Congressional 2000 National Political Awareness Test
, Nov 1, 2000
Voted YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable.
Comprehensive Retirement Security and Pension Reform Act of 2001: Vote to pass a bill that would raise the amount individuals may contribute to traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts and to 401[k] plans and make pensions plans more portable
Reference: Bill sponsored by Portman, R-OH;
Bill HR 10
; vote number 2001-96
on May 2, 2001
Voted NO on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits.
Vote to pass a bill that would reduce the percentage of Social Security benefits that is taxable from 85 to 50 percent for single taxpayers with incomes over $25,000 and married couples with incomes over $32,000. The revenues that would be lost for the Medicare trust fund would be replaced by money from the general fund.
Reference: Bill sponsored by Archer, R-TX;
Bill HR 4865
; vote number 2000-450
on Jul 27, 2000
Voted YES on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox.
Amending the Social Security Lockbox bill to require that any budget surplus cannot be spent until the solvency of Social Security and Medicare is guaranteed.
Reference: Motion to Recommit introduced by Rangel, D-NY;
Bill HR 1259
; vote number 1999-163
on May 26, 1999
Rated 78% by the ARA, indicating a pro-senior voting record.
Udall scores 78% by the ARA on senior issues
The mission of the Alliance for Retired Americans is to ensure social and economic justice and full civil rights for all citizens so that they may enjoy lives of dignity, personal and family fulfillment and security. The Alliance believes that all older and retired persons have a responsibility to strive to create a society that incorporates these goals and rights and that retirement provides them with opportunities to pursue new and expanded activities with their unions, civic organizations and their communities.
The following ratings are based on the votes the organization considered most important; the numbers reflect the percentage of time the representative voted the organization's preferred position.
Source: ARA website 03n-ARA on Dec 31, 2003
Rated 86% by ARA, indicating a mixed record on senior issues.
Udall scores 86% Alliance for Retired Americans
Scoring system for 2014: Ranges from 0% (supports privatization and other market-based reforms) to 100% (supports keeping federal control over Trust Fund and Social Security system).
About ARA (from their website, www.RetiredAmericans.org):
The Alliance for Retired Americans is a nationwide organization, founded in May 2001, with now over 4.2 million members working together to make their voices heard in the laws, policies, politics, and institutions that shape our lives. The mission of the Alliance for Retired Americans is to ensure social and economic justice and full civil rights for all citizens so that they may enjoy lives of dignity, personal and family fulfillment and security.
- Alliance members visit the polls in record numbers. We use the power of our membership and our Congressional Voting Record to educate and mobilize seniors to elect leaders committed to improving the lives of retirees and older Americans.
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We are effectively warding off cuts to our most important social programs like Social Security and Medicare. Our Human Chain Against the Chained CPI events in the summer of 2013 took place in more than 50 cities and mobilized support for stopping this cut to earned Social Security benefits.
- We blocked the privatization of Social Security with our Social Security "Truth Truck" delivering 2.1 million petitions to Members of Congress and other tactics.
- The Alliance makes its voice heard on the issues that matter not just to current retirees, but to all Americans who hope to retire one day. We were a leading voice in recent debates considering changes to Medicare, like replacing guaranteed benefits with a voucher system, and remain so in 2014.
Source: ARA lifetime rating on incumbents of 113th Congress 14_ARA on Jan 1, 2013
Page last updated: Apr 28, 2016