Press Releases

Congresswoman Wilson Urges Supercommittee to Protect Social Security, Medicare, and Education from Unjustifiable Cuts

Wilson: “The Elderly, Disabled, Children, and Those Living in Poverty Are My Greatest Concern In This Deficit Reduction Debate.”

With the reporting deadline for the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction, also known as the “Supercommittee”, fast approaching, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (FL-17) has written a letter to co-chairs Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) urging the committee to protect Social Security, Medicare, and education from indefensible cuts that would harm our most vulnerable populations.

“The budget that Congress adopts reflects the principles, values and morals of this Nation; and, in that vein, I urge you to make no further cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and federal education programs, including Pell grants,” wrote Congresswoman Wilson. “The elderly, disabled, children and those living in poverty are my greatest concern in this deficit reduction debate. It would be an act of intransigence to have these vulnerable populations bear the brunt of an aggressive deficit reduction program.”

The copy of the letter is attached as well as reproduced below:

November 3, 2011

The Honorable Jeb Hensarling The Honorable Patty Murray

Co-Chair Co-Chair

Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction

129 Cannon House Office Building 173 Russell Senate Office Building

U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Senate

Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Co-Chairs Hensarling and Murray:

I am writing to request that you consider protecting critical programs from funding cuts as you work to find $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction in accordance with provisions contained in the Budget Control Act of 2011 (P.L. 112-25). The budget that Congress adopts reflects the principles, values and morals of this Nation; and, in that vein, I urge you to make no further cuts to Social Security, Medicare and federal education programs, including Pell grants.

The elderly, disabled, children and those living in poverty are my greatest concern in this deficit reduction debate. I represent one of the poorest Congressional districts in the United States, and these people represent the core of my constituency. It would be an act of intransigence to have these vulnerable populations bear the brunt of an aggressive deficit reduction program. The federal deficit was not created overnight, and trying to fix it overnight by raiding essential entitlement programs will adversely impact many of my constituents and may ruin our fragile economic recovery.

Currently, my home state of Florida’s unemployment rate is 10.6 percent, a full 1.5 percent higher than the national average. The Miami-Dade metro area, which encompasses much of my district, faces an 11.5 percent unemployment rate. When you couple that fact with the national black unemployment rate – an unconscionable 16 percent – the real unemployment rate in my district is likely 50 percent higher than the national rate. My constituents need help. Weakening the foundation of any current entitlement program would only serve to further devastate the many wonderful people in my community.

Every day, millions of Americans show-up for work, pay their mortgages, put their kids through school, and try to save for their retirement. Every day, many of these Americans fall further and further behind. Between outsourcing, depressed wages, underwater mortgages, failing schools, and depleted 401(k)’s, Americans are falling farther behind, and faster than ever. Again, I urge you to not pull the safety net out from underneath them.

I urge you to first work with the American people. We need to get through this recession by offering effective mortgage and foreclosure assistance, and by passing meaningful legislation to create jobs. Without addressing these key issues, the economy will continue to falter, Americans will continue to suffer and deficit will be a meaningless political debate for working people.

I thank you for your consideration of this request. Should you or your staff have any further questions on this matter, please contact me or my Legislative Director, David Bagby, at (202) 225-04506.

Sincerely,

/s/

Frederica S. Wilson

Member of Congress

cc: The Honorable Max Baucus

The Honorable Xavier Becerra

The Honorable Dave Camp

The Honorable James Clyburn

The Honorable John Kerry

The Honorable Jon Kyl

The Honorable Rob Portman

The Honorable Pat Toomey

The Honorable Fred Upton

The Honorable Chris Van Hollen

Rep. Frederica S. Wilson is a first-term congresswoman representing the 17^th District of Florida, including Northern Miami-Dade and Southeast Broward Counties. She is a former state legislator and school principal and the founder of the 5000 Role Models for Excellence Project, a mentoring program for young males at risk of dropping out of school.