DeLay, Bush Pressing for Social Security Bill Vote This Year

NEW YORK -- The Bush administration and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said they will press Congress to pass a bill restructuring Social Security this year, Bloomberg News reported.

Rep. John Mica of Florida said DeLay announced his commitment to passing a bill this year at a meeting of House Republicans Wednesday morning. Treasury Secretary John Snow and White House spokesman Scott McClellan said President Bush wants to act in 2005 because the program's financial troubles will only grow over time.

“The president believes it's important to act this year to strengthen Social Security,'' McClellan said. ”It's a problem that only gets worse with time and it'll only cost more to try and solve it later.''

DeLay, a Texas Republican, told reporters after the House meeting that lawmakers won't back down from proposing solutions to the financial difficulties facing Social Security, which will begin paying out more benefits than money it takes in by 2018.

-- NYSSCPA.org News Staff

Posted on 3/2/05