Social Security recently celebrated its 78th Anniversary of being signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Before Social Security, most working Americans retired into poverty. Today, more than 160 million workers are building toward a more secure retirement for themselves and their families through their contributions, and 58 million seniors, disabled workers, widows and children currently rely on it for economic security each month. Over its 78 year history, and through 13 recessions, Social Security has never failed to pay on time and in full, and has never added a penny to the nation’s deficit or debt. Click here to see a timeline of Social Security through the years.

In the midst of attempts to radically reform our social safety net, I will continue to work to ensure that Social Security remains a strong and stable program. We must not balance the budget on the backs of our seniors. My father turned 90 years old last summer, and he worked all his life so that he could proudly send all four children to college without ever making more than $25,000 a year. It would be unconscionable to take away Medicare and Social Security benefits from seniors - like my father - who contributed to these programs all their lives. Seniors have earned it with a lifetime of hard work, and it should be there now and for future generations. I vow to continue to fight to preserve these programs for the next generation.