Jim R. Ramstad (R)
Social Security
The House passed legislation with my strong support that locks away every penny of the Social Security surplus so it can only be spent on Social Security. In addition, Congress passed into law legislation I sponsored to repeal the unfair Social Security earnings limit, and I also voted to repeal the Clinton-Gore 85% tax on Social Security benefits for middle-income seniors.
Any reforms to Social Security must not reduce benefits or increase taxes. Using the Federal Employee Thrift Savings Plan as a model, we should allow workers to direct a small portion of their Social Security retirement dollars toward safe investments that will yield them greater returns, while allowing all beneficiaries the option of staying in the current system.
I do not support raising the age of eligibility for Social Security, and I strongly believe we need to address the problem of poverty among older women.