A lifelong resident of Portland, Oregon, Congressman Earl Blumenauer is one of Oregon's innovative leaders. Raised in SE Portland, Earl attended Centennial High School. While still a college student at Lewis and Clark College, he led the campaign in Oregon to lower the voting age. He was a key player just two years later as one of the youngest legislators in Oregon's history in a landmark session for school funding, ethics reform and Oregon's groundbreaking land use laws.
As a Multnomah County Commissioner and member of the Portland City Council, Earl's innovative accomplishments in transportation with light rail, bicycles and the street car, planning and environmental programs and public participation helped Portland earn an international reputation as one of America's most livable cities.
Social Security protects the economic security of workers, retirees, and their families. More than any other federal program, Social Security reduces poverty and improves the standards of living for all Americans. More than 13 million senior citizens depend on their Social Security benefits, as do millions of children and families. Congressman Blumenauer sits on the Ways and Means Committee, which oversees the Social Security Administration and its programs, and is committed to protecting these vital benefits.
Social Security was created by President Franklin Roosevelt as part of the New Deal and was expanded under President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society. The program is still strong and will continue to be a source of income for retirees, the disabled, and families. Many people do not realize how valuable Social Security is to them. Typically, an individual would have to save an additional $225,000 while working to replace the benefits Social Security provides in retirement. Without any changes, Social Security will be able to pay 100 percent of benefits until 2037. After that, however, Americans will have to make smart choices to ensure that the program continues to keep its promises, while avoiding future budget shortfalls and paying down the national debt.
Congressman Blumenauer has been closely monitoring the Social Security Administration’s plan for reducing its substantial backlog of unprocessed disability claims. The agency has continued to make progress, but the substantial increase in new applications due to the economic downturn poses significant future challenges for the agency. Also, Congressman Blumenauer has strongly supported finding additional resources to help applicants navigate the complex—and often lengthy—appeals process. He was proud to vote for H.R. 4532, the Social Security Disability Applicants’ Access to Professional Representation Act of 2010, a bipartisan bill that will improve access to quality, professional representation for disability applicants.