E. Shaw

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. One hundred fifty people.

Mr. SHAW. The gentleman is correct. In Dade County, it is appointed by the Dade County Commission, so it is different. It is the way the charter is set up.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my good friend, Florida Senator Debby Sanderson who has announced her retirement after 20 years of distinguished public service to the residents of Broward and Palm Beach counties. In 1982, Senator Sanderson was the first female elected from Broward County to the Florida House of Representatives and served as the Freshman Minority Leader her first term. In 1988, Debby was appointed by the Democratic Speaker of the House to the House Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee. It was this committee assignment early in her career which led to her interest in social services and shaped much of her future work in the Florida legislature. She was chairwoman of the Human Services Appropriations in the House until her election to the Senate in 2000. During her years of service in the House and Senate, Debby brought her low-key, principle driven agenda focusing on issues such as health care, children, education and a commitment to Florida's social services. Always accessible to her constituents, Debby traveled her district listening to the needs and concerns of officials and citizens alike. Although the Florida legislature is only in session for two months out of the year, for Debby it has been a full time job. When Senator Debby Sanderson recently announced her retirement, the room was filled with admirers from the social services community all of whom have benefitted from her hard work and dedication: PACE, a program for troubled teenage girls; Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital; Autism Society of Florida; Area Agency on Aging; Special Olympics, to name just a few. Also present were representatives of Florida Breast Cancer Research Coalition whose cause will benefit from passage of the special license plate legislation sponsored by Senator Debby Sanderson. Mr. Speaker, Senator Debby Sanderson has decided to retire from public life; however I am certain she will remain an active participant in her community, state, and country. During her 20 years of service, Debby and I have shared constituents and lived within each other's district. She represented me in Tallahassee with honor and dignity and I am honored to represent her here in Washington.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my good friend Edith Lederberg, a woman who has served with distinction at the Area Agency on Aging of Broward County for twenty-five years. Born on October 26, 1929, Edith Lederberg is a native of Freeport, New York. There she attended Hofstra University and obtained a Baccalaureate degree in Spanish and a Master's degree in Education. While residing in New York, Ms. Lederberg held teaching positions in the Freeport and Linderhurst Public School Systems, and Wantagh Union Free School District. In 1975, she became a Public Relations Consultant for the Wantagh Union Free School District. Moving to Broward County, Florida in 1977, Edith continued her public relations career when she became Director of Community Relations Advocacy as Community Coordinator for the Area Agency on Aging. In 1986, Ms. Lederberg was appointed Executive Director of the Area Agency on Aging of Broward County. As Executive Director of the Area Agency of Broward County she performs as the Project Director under the guidance of the Areawide Council on Aging; planning, coordinating, and directing the Area Agency on Aging Programs. She works with the State Department of Elder Affairs, as well as with public and private agencies at the local level. She sets policy for the Area Agencies administrative unit, advocates on behalf of senior concerns locally, statewide, and nationally, and raises financial resources to support programs for Older Americans residing in Broward County. Throughout the years, Ms. Lederberg's remarkable service has been widely recognized. In 1995, Ms. Lederberg was appointed to serve as a Florida Delegate to the White House Conference on Aging. In 1996 and 1997, she served as President of the Florida Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Edith also is an active member of Broward's Coordinating Board for Transportation Disadvantaged and the Coordinating Council of Broward. Additionally she has been inducted into Broward Women's Hall of Fame and Broward Senior Hall of Fame. In 1999, she was selected as one of the Broward County Fair's First Ladies of Broward and was the designee for the Florida Department of Elder's Affairs' Incredible Partners Award. In 1997, she was appointed by Senator Bob Graham to serve on the Federal Judicial Nominating Commission, and I had the privilege of reappointing her in 2001. For the past twenty-five years Edith has found her calling as an advocate for the elderly, not only in Broward County, but throughout the state and the country, and what an advocate she is. This `Angel of the Aging', as she is often called, is knowledgeable, articulate, persuasive and stubborn when fighting for what she feels is right. Many in Florida have seen the poster of this petite woman sitting on a Harley with the caption: `Fully Engaged in Positive Aging'. How appropriate, Edith Lederberg: mother, grandmother, poet, baker of cakes, and voice of the elderly. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize Edith Lederberg today for all of her contributions, improving the quality of life for senior citizens of Broward County and for her 25 years of service to the Area Agency on Aging of Broward County.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 376 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.

Mr. SHAW. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mr. SHAW. I yield to the gentleman from Oklahoma.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Chairman, I rise to engage the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee and the distinguished ranking member in a colloquy to discuss a matter of great concern to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Wexler) and to me and of great concern also to our constituents. As the chairman knows, the first and most severe anthrax attack occurred in Boca Raton, Florida. One man died and many others were injured. The building itself, 67,000 square feet in the middle of the city, is now under quarantine. The level of contamination is equal to that of the Daschle suite in the Hart Senate Office Building. While we still do not know who is responsible for the contamination in Boca Raton, we know the owners of the buildings are the victims of a terrorist attack resulting in a public health hazard. The problems now facing the community because of this attack are so serious and unusual in nature that it is, in my opinion, necessary for the Federal Government to become engaged and provide a solution. Local leaders, including the mayor of Boca Raton, Steve Abrams, and the city council, in addition to the owners of the building, have shown a willingness to work with the government in order to fix this problem. The solution that the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Wexler) and I have proposed, along with other Members of the Florida delegation, most notably the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica), (Mr. Deutsch), and (Mr. Hastings), has the bipartisan support of the entire Palm Beach County, Boca Raton community. I understand that the chairman has expressed some concern with our proposal. I appreciate and respect those concerns. Moreover, I greatly appreciate the time and effort that the gentleman and his staff have devoted to this issue. I am hopeful, I would say to the chairman, that we can continue our dialogue, as this matter is of great concern and urgency to the citizens of South Florida. Again, I want to thank the chairman and I want to thank also the ranking Democrat member for their efforts on behalf of our constituents.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman would yield just briefly, I thank the gentleman and the chairman for giving so much of their time, and I think the people of Boca Raton are very grateful, and we look forward to continuing to work with both of the gentlemen.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Jose L. Lastra, a man who has served with distinction in the Social Security Administration in South Florida for 30 years. Born in Cardenas, Cuba in 1948, Jose Lastra arrived in the United States on September 28th, 1961, speaking no English and carrying with him nothing but a strong work ethic and determination. Graduating from Miami Edison High School in 1966, Jose continued his education, earning a degree in History with a minor in Political Science from Florida Atlantic University, with post-graduate studies at the University of Miami School of Hispanic American Studies and Florida International University's School of Public Administration. Mr. Lastra entered public service on July 17, 1972, when he was hired for the position of Service Representative in the Miami Beach Social Security Office. This month marks his 30th anniversary with the Social Security Administration. Over the last three decades, Jose has served with distinction in a number of positions in the South Florida Area, including: service, claims and field representative, Hispanic Program Officer, and manager of the Cuban-Haitian Emergency Processing Office and the Riverside Branch Office. In recognition of his outstanding work, Jose was awarded the Commissioner's Citation in 1980, 1991, and 1992, and the Commissioner's Team Award in 1997. In 1990, Mr. Lastra was appointed Area Director of South Florida. In this capacity, he oversees thirty-three Social Security field offices with a total staff of 978 employees. The South Florida Area includes more than 2 million Social Security beneficiaries, many of whom reside in my district. As Chairman of the House Social Security Subcommittee, I am especially grateful for all of Mr. Lastra's hard work on behalf of my senior constituents. Today, I am pleased to recognize a man who has taken full advantage of what America offers. Coming to this country as a young immigrant from Cuba, he studied hard, worked tirelessly and rose from an entry level position to one of leadership in the Social Security Administration. A true sign of his character, Jose is held in the highest regard by those who work with him and for him. Jose L. Lastra's life and achievements represent the dream of opportunity that America so proudly boasts.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my constituent and friend, Howard Bernstein, of Boca Raton, Florida. In 1945, instead of being at home with his family, Howard Bernstein was on a ship near Okinawa, Japan, ``engulfed in the fight for freedom.'' He was fighting a war where the enemy had threatened the security and liberty of his home, a war in which he wondered if ``there would even be a tomorrow.'' On April 2nd, while going about his duties, his ship encountered a group of Japanese kamikaze planes, bent on destroying his fleet. During the attack, Howard was hit by a piece of shrapnel, injuring his right eye. Not noticing the blood, he continued fighting, seeking medical attention only when the battle had ended. After receiving treatment, he told both the Captain's Yeoman and the medical Corpsman not to report his injury, as he did not want to alarm his mother, who had another son fighting in the Pacific, in addition to having lost her husband unexpectedly. Howard Bernstein returned home after the war, enjoying the freedom he and his comrades had worked so hard to preserve. Only recently did he want to commemorate his injury with a Purple Heart, as he wanted to have the medal ``as part of [his] heritage.'' However, since Howard had not reported his injury, he was initially denied a Purple Heart. It took two sworn affidavits of support from his former comrades for him to finally be given the tribute he so richly deserves. Today, we recognize Howard Bernstein for his courage and bravery in battle and his unflagging devotion to home and family. In honoring Howard, we honor all those who would risk their lives to preserve the liberty of all people, and all those who would sacrifice personal gain for the consideration of others.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Very briefly, I would like to close with just a few observations. I would like to commend both sides of the aisle for I think a very good and factual debate, looking at the legislation and showing that there are areas pertaining to Social Security where we can come together. I think a few things, though, need to be said in response to some of the arguments that I have heard from the other side of the aisle. I think the gentlewoman from North Carolina, and I think she has left the floor now, brings a certain level of common sense to this debate that I think should be listened to. I think she is going to be missed, and I am very sorry that she is retiring as a member of the minority party in this Chamber. There have been some comments regarding raiding the Social Security trust fund. I think it is very important that Congress exercise self- control and not spend the Social Security surplus. But I think the American people have to know that the Social Security trust fund contains promises, not dollars. Those promises are in the form of Treasury bills. Those promises stay there, they are not taken from the Social Security trust fund, and nobody can debate that issue. But it is debatable, and I think it is something of great concern to both political parties here, that we do have a concern as to the expenditures which are going into the Social Security surplus. I think it is a goal of both political parties to stop spending that surplus as soon as we get through this war effort, as soon as we get totally out of this recession and as soon as we rebuild after the natural disaster that we had in New York. There is a question of debate on that. Whether we can say it is because of overspending or undertaxing, I think the question is certainly debatable and is subject to debate. But nobody should stand before this Congress or before the American people and say we are raiding the Social Security trust fund which only has promises. It does not have dollars. But, also, I think it is important to realize that, in going forward to decide what exactly we are going to do with Social Security, when we are coming together; and I would say to the members of the minority side who are trying to get some kind of a discharge petition to get their interpretation of the President's bill before this Congress or getting the two or three other bills before the Congress to have an open debate on it, as soon as I sense any real feeling on the minority party that they want to solve the problem rather than taking a few bills, some fictitious and some real, and crafting them into weapons, as soon as I get the sense that they want to move ahead, I am prepared to move ahead, because I think it is very important. I am concerned about my grandkids. I have a grandchild by the name of Wyatt who lives in DeLand, Florida. He is 13 years old. He is going to face benefit cuts of 28 percent by the time he is 62 years old. He will get less than $3 for every $4 of benefits that are promised to him. We have got to remember we do not only represent seniors of today. We represent our kids and our grandkids. If we are going to take $1 out of every $4 that they are entitled to receive, that is, I think, a national tragedy and that is something that is certainly less and far below the mission for which the American people sent us here to the Congress. They did not send us here to misrepresent facts, they did not send us here to hold steady to political beliefs, and they did not send us here, frankly, to privatize Social Security. And no one is trying to privatize Social Security. In fact, the bill that I have filed leaves the Social Security system totally intact. It does not touch $1 of it, and it saves Social Security for all time according to the Clinton administration as well as according to the current administration. Mr. Speaker, again, I would like to thank this Chamber and Members of both sides of the aisle for the debate that we had. I apologize for my voice, but I am in about the third or fourth day of a cold which I am hopeful that it is no longer contagious.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes the gentleman from California (Mr. Herger), a distinguished member of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady), a distinguished member of the Subcommittee on Social Security of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I congratulate the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Allen) for his tenacious and unyielding involvement in that particular tragedy. I am delighted that we will at last be able to deliver relief. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4070) to amend the Social Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide additional safeguards for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries with representative payees, to enhance program protections, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Lewis), a valued member of the subcommittee.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the House today will consider the Social Security Program Protection Act of 2002. It is legislation that would provide the Social Security Administration with the additional tools it needs to fight activities that drain program resources and undermine the financial security of beneficiaries. Many Social Security and supplemental security income beneficiaries have individuals or organizations called representative payees appointed by the agency to help manage their financial affairs when they are not capable. Nearly 7 million beneficiaries entrust their finances to representative payees who help safeguard their income and make sure expenditures are made in their best interests. Most are conscientious and honest. However, some are not. This bill raises the standard for representative payees and imposes stricter regulation and monetary penalties on those who take advantage of seniors. The bill also expands the existing prohibition against fugitive felons receiving benefits. In 1996, Congress denied supplemental security income benefits to persons fleeing prosecution or confinement. However, fugitive felons can still receive title II benefits. This is plain wrong, and H.R. 4070 denies benefits to those fleeing justice. Furthermore, the protection act enhances the ability of the Inspector General to fight fraud through new civil monetary penalties. This will help prevent seniors from being taken advantage of by unscrupulous organizations and individuals who deceptively present themselves as part of the Social Security Administration. While the bill cracks down on fraud and abuse, it also makes it easier for persons applying for disability benefits to obtain needed legal representation, and it improves the flexibility of the Ticket to Work program to enable more individuals with disabilities to seek and find jobs and achieve self-sufficiency. Also, the bill would amend the Social Security Act to include Kentucky among the States that may divide their retirement systems into two parts and thereby providing Social Security coverage under State agreement only for those State and local workers who choose it. Ensuring the integrity of Social Security programs is a key responsibility of the agency and of Congress. Taxpayers must be confident that their hard-earned payroll dollars are being spent accurately and wisely. Those who apply for and who receive Social Security benefits must receive timely services and correct and fair decisions. On that we can all agree, and that is why this bill has bipartisan support and was approved unanimously by the Social Security subcommittee. This bill is the culmination of extensive joint efforts by both the majority and minority Members of the Committee on Ways and Means and the full cooperation and support of the Social Security Administration and the Office of Inspector General. The legislation also benefited from the feedback provisions by advocacy groups and law enforcement agencies. Last, but certainly not least, this bill results in a small amount of savings for both the Social Security trust funds and general revenues. Today, we have an opportunity to continue our long tradition of achievements on the Social Security program which has been built on a foundation of common ground. Working together over the years, we have removed barriers for individuals with disabilities to return to work. We ended the earnings penalty for seniors who have reached full retirement age; and most recently, the House approved legislation last month to enhance benefits for women. Working together we can vote today to protect some of the most vulnerable beneficiaries and the integrity of the Social Security program. My hope is that we can continue to build on these important first steps and begin a constructive dialogue to strengthen Social Security for our children, our grandchildren, and for all future generations. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the subject of H.R. 4070, the bill just considered.

Mr. SHAW

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I am glad the gentleman suggested that. The way the Social Security trust fund works, the way Social Security works, your FICA and payroll taxes are paid into the Social Security Administration. The money is paid out of the trust funds in order to pay the benefits, the survey benefits, disability benefits, pension benefits. The benefits that come out of Social Security are paid out of the trust fund. The monies that are left then go into the general fund. That is what we call the surplus. This is money that is over and above what is necessary to pay the benefits under Social Security. Surpluses by law are replaced by Treasury bills. These treasury bills are nonnegotiable Treasury bills which are IOUs by the government to the government. Mr. Greenspan testified before the Committee on Ways and Means and said these are really not economic assets. And you can compare them to writing yourself an IOU and declaring that as an asset. It is not an asset. It is simply an IOU by the government to the government. So we will continue to have surpluses, according to the Social Security Administration, until the year 2017. But beginning in 2017, the Congress is going to have to find the money to pay the benefits, whether it increases taxes, whether it cuts benefits, or whether it just simply goes into the red and produces this type of shortfall for the next 60 years. This is what we are facing and this is what future Congresses are facing. Now there is a number of plans that are out there that do address this dilemma that we find ourselves in, and there are some very good plans. The plan that I have developed adds something to Social Security without touching the trust fund, without touching any of the FICA taxes that are going into the Social Security trust fund. And I believe that this is the best way to go. And I have demonstrated through the Social Security Administration that if we were to enact this Social Security Plus Plan that we would not only be able to avoid all of this red ink, we would keep benefits every bit, if not better, than they are today; we could add to it a retirement bonus which would be paid out of these added funds that are being put into the Social Security Administration. It assumes that every dime that goes into this would have to be borrowed and paid back, and not only would they be paid back over the between now and 2075, but it would create a surplus of $1 trillion. Now, this is what we need to leave to our kids; and this is what we need to be able to try to do. Now, you have heard a lot on this floor, they are saying the Bush administration or the Republicans have a secret plan to privatize Social Security. How are you going to privatize something that is looking down the barrel of a $25 trillion deficit? The private sector would not take this unfunded liability over, so that is absolutely ridiculous. The Social Security Administration needs to stay in place exactly as it is today. The American seniors, when they were young workers, they paid into this system their whole working life, and it is not up to this Congress or any Congress to dismantle the Social Security trust fund. It needs to be kept in place exactly as it is today. But we need to add to it, add to it as an add-on, as an addition. And my particular plan, which we have looked at and which I know you have carefully examined, it would take money actually out of the Treasury. No more taxes. But it would take it out of the Treasury under monies that could be borrowed as a bridge and put into individual retirement accounts, not all in one stock as you would hear. As soon as you start talking about individual accounts, everyone starts yelling Enron. Well, if you had one Enron in your portfolio, that would be a danger but this would not allow that. They would be widespread like index funds. And it would only be 60 percent in corporate stocks and it would be 40 percent in corporate bonds. Now, what the Social Security Administration, they did a lookback over the last 75 years which encompasses a depression, a Great Depression, and they said these individual retirement accounts would grow at a rate that would create over 75 years, which would create a $1 trillion surplus. Now, we do not have to adopt this plan. There are other plans out there. But it is time that the Congress quit talking about doing nothing. They say the sky is falling and then they think that is some kind of a joke. This is no joke. This is 2017 which is right around the corner. And we need to start planning for it, whether we use the plan that I have developed or whether they have come forward with another plan. I would be delighted to hear their plan. But this is the only plan that they have put forward among their leadership. Now, I will quickly say that there are a few Members on the other side of the aisle that have developed plans. One of the Members has developed a plan, one of the Democrat Members has joined with a Republican Member in developing a plan which I think you may hear about yet within the next few minutes, and I congratulate him for doing that. But Social Security, and I am thinking of what the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley) was talking about with his grandmother, and in there cleaning all of those rooms every day and paying into a Social Security fund that kept her out of poverty. I am reminded of a statement that was made here on the floor that life was to be enjoyed, not endured. And that is what we need to work with. And all of us know that today's seniors are going to be just fine. Nobody is even thinking about cutting the benefits. But I am also saying we do not have to cut the benefits of tomorrow's seniors either if we start planning ahead today. If you start building on top of the existing plan, not substituting, not taking anything away from it.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I was speaking to a reporter the other day. I could tell from her voice that she was certainly a lot younger than I am. We were talking about the Social Security and what was happening to it. And I said, Would you go to work for this newspaper if during the interview they said you are going to work about one and a half months a year to pay into the retirement funds but yet it is not going to be there for you? And she said no. Then I asked her the question, Do you think Social Security is going to be there for you? She said no. That does not have to be the answer. The problem that we have today is that the young people are just not focusing. I am looking at some of the pages sitting here on the floor this afternoon. Retirement is the furthest thing from their minds. But when you start explaining to them that you are going to work a month and a half a year to pay for my retirement, then they say, well, wait a minute, what about mine? And this is what we have to think about. If we care about our kids, if we care about our grandkids, if we care about the legacy that this Congress is going to leave to the United States, it is time that we start focusing on this problem. And the idea of doing nothing and bringing up these terrible deficits, this is unthinkable because this is an economy that cannot sustain itself with this type of a, with a deficit. But this is the answer for doing nothing. Now, I am not suggesting, I have got on here under the Democrats Do Nothing Plan, cash flow deficit starts in 2017, and this chart would indicate that their plan would build up to $25 trillion deficit. I do not believe what they say, when they simply say, oh, we will do nothing and the money that we are going to save from the interest that we are not going to have to pay on the borrowed revenue will take care of the problem. I beg your pardon? Going to take care of a $25 trillion problem? Come on. Even the newest math cannot get you there. I mean, we always talked about voodoo economics, but this is beyond this. This is post-post graduate voodoo economics. This is what the facts are and these facts are reported by the Social Security Administration.

Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I am doing my part to increase the number of workers per retiree with 4 children and 13 grandchildren. But those are the kids I am worried about because I know, particularly when these grandchildren retire, they are going to be in deep trouble. They will be up to their eyebrows in this red ink. And we can avoid it, and we must avoid it, and we must work together and quit all of this junk about raiding the trust fund. I have just explained there is no money in the trust fund. How can you raid the trust fund? The trust fund has nothing but Treasury bills. But beginning in 2017, there is no surplus. You cannot send the seniors Treasury bills. You have got to send them cash. So the Social Security Administration is going to have to be looking towards the Treasury of the United States to get the money because there will not be enough FICA taxes coming in beginning in 2017 in order to pay the benefits. We must not get in a situation where we are thinking about reducing the benefits. That would be grossly unfair. People paying into this system, relying on it, and then just before they come into retirement, the Congress decides to decrease the benefits. The next generations of workers, they get in under the workforce, Congress talks about raising their taxes. That is not fair, particularly when you do not have to do it. But the problem is getting the politics out of this. I will be so glad when this next election gets behind us because I have a feeling that the Democrats will no longer say this is what they support, because this makes absolutely no sense. It makes no sense. And I am sure that once we get the politics out of this that we will be able to work with the minority party and reform the Social Security system. To do otherwise, I will tell you tomorrow's generation will turn our pictures to the wall and that is where they should be put if we do not step forward and do something for future generations. This is not only important for today's seniors, it is not only important for those who are about to go into retirement, but it is our kids and our grandkids, too. This is tremendously important. It would be absolutely sinful and pitiful for this Congress to do less than to save Social Security for this generation and the next generation. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman and, again, I compliment him for taking this time. I think that the more we can get this word out, the more the American people will demand that their Congress, that their representatives, the people who work for them, come here to Washington and not play politics with this great retirement system, but to fix it and be sure that it is going to be at least as good for the next generation as it is for this generation. We can do it, but we need to do it on a bipartisan basis. We need to do it by everybody down on the playing field and not having half the team or the opponents up in the bleachers throwing rocks at us that are down there on the field that are trying to do something. That is grossly unfair. So when people start talking about people wanting to privatize Social Security, we should laugh at them. There is no one in this House that has ever talked about privatizing Social Security; and when they start talking about raiding the trust fund, we should laugh then because we know that there is no money in the trust fund. There is only nonnegotiable Treasury bills. Now is the time to really move forward, lay the groundwork, so that we can, within hopefully next year, come together in a bipartisan way and solve this problem. That is what the American people sent us here for, and I compliment my colleague again, and I know that he and I both have a tremendous number of wonderful seniors in our shared districts, and I know that is what they want us to do.