Aarp ceo barry rand responds to social security cuts in obama's debt r...

AARP CEO Barry Rand released a statement today in response to a report in the Washington Post that the White House was open to making cuts in programs such as Social Security and Medicare to

reach an agreement with Republicans before the August 2 deadline to raise the nation's debt ceiling. SEE ALSO: "SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE BENEFITS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE TABLE

FOR DEFICIT REDUCTION." “AARP will not accept any cuts to Social Security as part of a deal to pay the nation’s bills,” said Rand. “Social Security did not cause the deficit, and it

should not be cut to reduce a deficit it did not cause. As the President and Congress work to negotiate a deal to raise the debt ceiling, AARP urges all lawmakers to reject any proposals

that would cut the benefits seniors have earned through a lifetime of hard work. “AARP is strongly opposed to any deficit reduction proposal that makes harmful cuts to vital Social Security

and Medicare benefits. Social Security is currently the principal source of income for nearly two-thirds of older American households receiving benefits, and roughly one third of those

households depend on Social Security benefits for nearly all (90 percent or more) of their income. The deficit debate is not the time or the place to talk about Social Security. AARP will

fight any cuts that are proposed to this important program, including proposals to reduce the cost of living adjustment for beneficiaries (COLA) — such as the proposed chained CPI — which

AARP also believes should not be considered as part of the debt ceiling or deficit reduction negotiations." RELATED * Pew Poll: Don't cut benefits — make them better. READ * Tell

Congress to keep Social Security and Medicare strong. DO * AARP calls on lawmakers to oppose unbalanced budget proposal. READ * What Washington's 2011 fiscal wars mean to you. READ *

Can you balance the federal budget? DO * AARP holds firm on Social Security. READ * AARP urges senators to reject legislation that could harm Medicare, Social Security. READ * Q & A

about Medicare's future. Read * Social Security, Medicare are not welfare. READ In a budget proposal offered in April, President Obama vowed opposition to any cuts in Social Security or

Medicare. So the report that the White House might be considering changes to the popular programs caused shock waves in Washington. A few hours after the Washington Post story, the White

House appeared to be clarifying the president's position, with a White House official who is close to the negotiations telling the Huffington Post that the Washington Post story

"overshoots the runway." The official continued: "The President said in the State of the Union that he wanted a bipartisan process to strengthen Social Security in a balanced

way that preserves the promise of the program and doesn't slash benefits." The statement from AARP CEO Barry Rand echoes previous statements from the nonprofit, nonpartisan

organization. As Rand concluded: “Throughout the deficit reduction and debt ceiling debate, AARP will continue its efforts to raise the voices of our members who depend on Social Security

and Medicare for their health and economic security.”