Social Security Vote May Be Delayed

WASHINGTON -- The Senate's top Republican said Tuesday that President Bush's bid to restructure Social Security may have to wait until next year and might not involve the individual accounts the White House has been pushing hard, The Washington Post reported.

The comments of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., made as GOP lawmakers returned from a week of trying to sell the plan to voters, underscored the challenge facing the White House, especially in light of unbroken Democratic opposition.

"In terms of whether it will be a week, a month, six months or a year, as to when we bring something to the floor, it's just too early," Frist said.

Frist is reluctant to put off a vote until 2006, when lawmakers will be focused on midterm congressional elections and the atmosphere will be more politically charged, aides said. But with polls showing widespread skepticism of Bush's proposal and some Republicans opposed to the approach, GOP leaders signaled Tuesday that they may have no choice but to put off action.

-- NYSSCPA.org News Staff

Posted on 3/2/05