[nfbmi-talk] CALL TO IMMEDIATE ACTION - PRESERVE YOUR SSDI FROM CONGRESSIONAL SECRET ATTACK!

[Terry D. Eagle]

Dear Fellow Federationist and SSDI Beneficiaries,

 

The Arc Action Alert: SSDI Under Attack Today: Tell Your Member of Congress

to Vote No on House Rules

 

On the first day of the new Congress, proponents of cutting Social Security

have hidden major disability program changes in an unrelated, routine

package that sets the rules for the U.S. House of Representatives. These

changes to the Social Security disability program have not been considered

in hearings or open to input from constituents.

 

As Members of Congress are organizing for the new session, the rules

governing debate and procedure in the House must be approved. Tucked in

this package is a provision that takes off the table a routine shift in

Social Security revenues needed to prevent a 20% cut in Social Security

Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits in 2016.

 

This vote is happening this evening - call your Member of Congress now to

support SSDI.

 

In 2016 Social Security's disability fund will face a long-expected

shortfall due to demographic trends such as the nation's aging population,
young adults having fewer children for the workforce, and abortion numbers.

Since Social Security was enacted, Congress has "reallocated" payroll tax

revenues between the retirement and disability trust funds - about equally

in both directions - some 11 times, on a bipartisan basis, to account for

such demographic shifts. 

 

The House rules package would hold SSDI hostage by putting up roadblocks to

another routine, common-sense shift in Social Security revenues. Unless

Congress acts to temporarily increase dollars going into the disability

fund, in 2016 SSDI beneficiaries will face a 20% benefit cut.

 

Instead of having a meaningful debate about the future of Social Security

and SSDI, House leadership is seeking to make major policy changes that will

affect millions of people without hearings or input from their constituents,

essentially in the dead of the night.

 

Call your Member of the House of Representatives today and ask him/her to

protect SSDI and vote NO on the House rules.

 

* The House rules package contains a harmful provision that could

force cuts to Social Security, including Social Security Disability

Insurance.

* People with disabilities rely on this program for basic needs - any

cuts will have a devastating effect on our/their lives.

* This major policy is being done without hearings or input from your

constituents, essentially in the dead of the night.

* Vote NO on the House rules package when it comes up for a vote

today.