FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, October 9th, 2016

Contact:
Alex Lawson, alawson@socialsecurityworks.org

STATEMENT: Tonight’s Debate Should Include a Social Security Question Focused on Expanding Benefits

The following is a statement from Nancy Altman, founding co-director of Social Security Works, on her expectations for tonight’s debate:

“Many voters know that they are facing a retirement income crisis and fear they will never be able to retire in dignity and independence. The electorate wants to hear the candidates talk about Social Security, but they want to hear it in a way that address their concerns: By stating if they will expand Social Security as a solution to that looming crisis or if they are planning to cut benefits and make that crisis worse.

What voters don’t want to hear is yet another fearmongering question, like the one at last Tuesday’s vice-presidential debate, which exaggerates Social Security’s projected shortfall, even though it is modest in size and nearly two decades away.”

— Nancy Altman, founding co-director, Social Security Works

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Social Security Works is the convening group in the Strengthen Social Security Campaign, a coalition comprised of more than 350 national and state organizations representing more than 50 million Americans from many of the nation’s leading aging, labor, disability, women’s, children, consumer, civil rights and equality organizations.