September 13, 2015
The Honorable _______________________________________________________________________
United States House of Representatives
The Capitol
Washington, DC
Re: Expand Social Security and Keep It Unified
Dear Congress Member,
At All Saints Church, we recognize the dependence we have on one another for our mutual safety, security, advancement
and welfare which is the meaning of community, the divine mandate from the Bible to care for one another and affirmed
in the Preamble of the Constitution. Social Security is one of the institutions that we have created to promote these
community interests.
Every year, the Social Security Board of Trustees releases an annual report to Congress, assessing the health of the Social
Security trust fund. In spite of what is often repeated by the media, every year the Trustees Report shows the Social
Security trust fund growing—and this year’s report was no exception. Social Security is projected to run a surplus again
this year. And next year. And the year after that. And the year after that. It is clear that there is no immediate crisis in
Social Security’s financing.
Even though all of the benefits under Social Security are interrelated, there is, for historical reasons, two separate funds,
one covering Old Age and Survivor’s benefits, one covering Disability. Not surprisingly, from time to time, the two funds
have to be balanced. Eleven times in Social Security’s history, Congress has authorized transfers between the Old Age and
Disability funds to rebalance them. The Trustees Report once again projects that Congress must act before the end of
2016 to rebalance Social Security's trust funds. If that is not done, Social Security's disability benefits will be cut by around
20 percent. This rebalancing has always been uncontroversial—until now. Just like they did with the debt ceiling, some
members of Congress have made clear that they will use any means necessary to endanger our earned benefits. On the
very first day of the current Congress, they adopted a rule to prevent this rebalancing. They are creating an artificial crisis
in order to divide the American people from one another and undermine popular support for Social Security. They plan to
hold rebalancing hostage this time around. Presumably, they are seeking a bipartisan deal, worked out behind closed
doors, that cuts Social Security and enacts other unpopular changes.
I urge you to resist this cynical attempt to advance a narrow ideological agenda that would play games with the lives of
people who need disability benefits and allow the rebalancing of the trust funds as done eleven times in the past.
The fact is that, as the richest nation in the world at the richest point in our history, not only can we afford the current
levels of Social Security protections, we can afford to greatly expand Social Security. Social Security's benefits are modest
and don't cover a number of eventualities, such as parental leave and sick days, which the Social Security programs of
other developed countries cover.
Social Security is a solution to the looming retirement income crisis where most workers will be unable to retire without
a drastic reduction in their standards of living due to disappearing pension plans and inadequate 401K plans. Social Security
is the most universal, secure, and efficient source of retirement income that we have, providing a guaranteed, inflationprotected source of income that one will never outlive. And expanding Social Security is completely affordable.
Millionaires and billionaires should pay the same rate as everyone else on all of their income. If we do that, the trust fund
will remain strong, even with expanded benefits.
I urge you to expand Social Security into a more comprehensive retirement system and into coverage of family needs
such as parental leave and sick days by eliminating the cap on income subject to the FICA tax.
Thank you,
(Sign & Print Name)_____________________________________________________________________________
Address______________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
September 13, 2015
Senator Dianne Feinstein
United States Senate
The Capitol
Washington, DC
Re: Expand Social Security and Keep It Unified
Dear Senator Feinstein,
At All Saints Church, we recognize the dependence we have on one another for our mutual safety, security, advancement
and welfare which is the meaning of community, the divine mandate from the Bible to care for one another and affirmed
in the Preamble of the Constitution. Social Security is one of the institutions that we have created to promote these
community interests.
Every year, the Social Security Board of Trustees releases an annual report to Congress, assessing the health of the Social
Security trust fund. In spite of what is often repeated by the media, every year the Trustees Report shows the Social
Security trust fund growing—and this year’s report was no exception. Social Security is projected to run a surplus again
this year. And next year. And the year after that. And the year after that. It is clear that there is no immediate crisis in
Social Security’s financing.
Even though all of the benefits under Social Security are interrelated, there is, for historical reasons, two separate funds,
one covering Old Age and Survivor’s benefits, one covering Disability. Not surprisingly, from time to time, the two funds
have to be balanced. Eleven times in Social Security’s history, Congress has authorized transfers between the Old Age and
Disability funds to rebalance them. The Trustees Report once again projects that Congress must act before the end of
2016 to rebalance Social Security's trust funds. If that is not done, Social Security's disability benefits will be cut by around
20 percent. This rebalancing has always been uncontroversial—until now. Just like they did with the debt ceiling, some
members of Congress have made clear that they will use any means necessary to endanger our earned benefits. On the
very first day of the current Congress, they adopted a rule to prevent this rebalancing. They are creating an artificial crisis
in order to divide the American people from one another and undermine popular support for Social Security. They plan to
hold rebalancing hostage this time around. Presumably, they are seeking a bipartisan deal, worked out behind closed
doors, that cuts Social Security and enacts other unpopular changes.
I urge you to resist this cynical attempt to advance a narrow ideological agenda that would play games with the lives of
people who need disability benefits and allow the rebalancing of the trust funds as done eleven times in the past.
The fact is that, as the richest nation in the world at the richest point in our history, not only can we afford the current
levels of Social Security protections, we can afford to greatly expand Social Security. Social Security's benefits are modest
and don't cover a number of eventualities, such as parental leave and sick days, which the Social Security programs of
other developed countries cover.
Social Security is a solution to the looming retirement income crisis where most workers will be unable to retire without
a drastic reduction in their standards of living due to disappearing pension plans and inadequate 401K plans. Social Security
is the most universal, secure, and efficient source of retirement income that we have, providing a guaranteed, inflationprotected source of income that one will never outlive. And expanding Social Security is completely affordable.
Millionaires and billionaires should pay the same rate as everyone else on all of their income. If we do that, the trust fund
will remain strong, even with expanded benefits.
I urge you to expand Social Security into a more comprehensive retirement system and into coverage of family needs
such as parental leave and sick days by eliminating the cap on income subject to the FICA tax.
Thank you,
(Sign & Print Name)_____________________________________________________________________________
Address______________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
September 13, 2015
Senator Barbara Boxer
United States Senate
The Capitol
Washington, DC
Re: Expand Social Security and Keep It Unified
Dear Senator Boxer,
At All Saints Church, we recognize the dependence we have on one another for our mutual safety, security, advancement
and welfare which is the meaning of community, the divine mandate from the Bible to care for one another and affirmed
in the Preamble of the Constitution. Social Security is one of the institutions that we have created to promote these
community interests.
Every year, the Social Security Board of Trustees releases an annual report to Congress, assessing the health of the Social
Security trust fund. In spite of what is often repeated by the media, every year the Trustees Report shows the Social
Security trust fund growing—and this year’s report was no exception. Social Security is projected to run a surplus again
this year. And next year. And the year after that. And the year after that. It is clear that there is no immediate crisis in
Social Security’s financing.
Even though all of the benefits under Social Security are interrelated, there is, for historical reasons, two separate funds,
one covering Old Age and Survivor’s benefits, one covering Disability. Not surprisingly, from time to time, the two funds
have to be balanced. Eleven times in Social Security’s history, Congress has authorized transfers between the Old Age and
Disability funds to rebalance them. The Trustees Report once again projects that Congress must act before the end of
2016 to rebalance Social Security's trust funds. If that is not done, Social Security's disability benefits will be cut by around
20 percent. This rebalancing has always been uncontroversial—until now. Just like they did with the debt ceiling, some
members of Congress have made clear that they will use any means necessary to endanger our earned benefits. On the
very first day of the current Congress, they adopted a rule to prevent this rebalancing. They are creating an artificial crisis
in order to divide the American people from one another and undermine popular support for Social Security. They plan to
hold rebalancing hostage this time around. Presumably, they are seeking a bipartisan deal, worked out behind closed
doors, that cuts Social Security and enacts other unpopular changes.
I urge you to resist this cynical attempt to advance a narrow ideological agenda that would play games with the lives of
people who need disability benefits and allow the rebalancing of the trust funds as done eleven times in the past.
The fact is that, as the richest nation in the world at the richest point in our history, not only can we afford the current
levels of Social Security protections, we can afford to greatly expand Social Security. Social Security's benefits are modest
and don't cover a number of eventualities, such as parental leave and sick days, which the Social Security programs of
other developed countries cover.
Social Security is a solution to the looming retirement income crisis where most workers will be unable to retire without
a drastic reduction in their standards of living due to disappearing pension plans and inadequate 401K plans. Social Security
is the most universal, secure, and efficient source of retirement income that we have, providing a guaranteed, inflationprotected source of income that one will never outlive. And expanding Social Security is completely affordable.
Millionaires and billionaires should pay the same rate as everyone else on all of their income. If we do that, the trust fund
will remain strong, even with expanded benefits.
I urge you to expand Social Security into a more comprehensive retirement system and into coverage of family needs
such as parental leave and sick days by eliminating the cap on income subject to the FICA tax.
Thank you,
(Sign & Print Name)_____________________________________________________________________________
Address______________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________