Cole Responds to White House Dismissal of Social Security Commission

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement after a White House spokesperson dismissed the idea of a Social Security Commission, like the one proposed in Cole's Bipartisan Social Security Commission Act, as a component of a debt limit deal between Congress and President Joe Biden.

"The only reason the White House would dismiss a commission to reform and find solutions to save Social security is that it must be afraid the commission would recommend something the president does not like," said Cole. "In fact, the last time such a commission was formed by President Reagan, President Joe Biden voted in favor of that commission's recommendations in 1983, which not only ensured the solvency of Social Security for five more decades, but was also the commission that my own bill is modeled after. Clearly, this dismissal is very misinformed.

"The Social Security Trustees have only told us repeatedly the program will soon become insolvent. If the president is really interested in preserving benefits, as we all are, then he needs to act with Congress to ensure the program's solvency. Otherwise, the very cuts he fears will happen, and they will be steep. To not even entertain a conversation about the issues facing the programs shows he is not really serious about leading or preserving Social Security."

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