Duncan Hunter on Social Security

Republican Representative (CA-52)

Address entitlement programs with trade policy

Q: What about Medicare and Social Security?

A: One thing we need with this smaller generation that's coming up, that's going to have to carry these massive loads, is bigger paychecks. You take a $75,000-a-year job, and you move it to China, and that guy gets a $20,000-a-year job, the amount of money that he or she contributes to Medicare and Social Security falls off the cliff. Now, we've lost over 3 million high-paying manufacturing jobs in the last 5 years because we haven't insisted on a level playing field with out competitors.

Q: Congressman, do you really think we can solve the Social Security and Medicare entitlement programs with trade policy?

A: Let me give you one statistic. We have a $161 billion deficit this year. We have an $800 billion trade deficit. And that is closely linked with the ability to take care of our seniors, to take care of Medicare, and to pay Social Security, absolutely.

Source: 2007 GOP primary debate in Orlando, Florida Oct 21, 2007

Personal retirement accounts allow investing in one's future

Q: Current estimates for the unfunded liabilities of our Social Security system are as high as $10 trillion. Would you revive Pres. Bush's attempt to introduce personal retirement accounts as a way to reform Social Security, thus allowing all Americans, particularly low-wage workers & the self-employed, an investment in their future & ownership in the inheritance they pass on?

HUCKABEE: Yes.
TANCREDO: Yes.
COX: Yes.
BROWNBACK: Yes.
PAUL: Yes.
HUNTER: Yes.
KEYES: Yes.

Source: [Xref Huckabee] 2007 GOP Values Voter Presidential Debate Sep 17, 2007

Voted YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable.

Comprehensive Retirement Security and Pension Reform Act of 2001: Vote to pass a bill that would raise the amount individuals may contribute to traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts and to 401[k] plans and make pensions plans more portable Reference: Bill sponsored by Portman, R-OH; Bill HR 10 ; vote number 2001-96 on May 2, 2001

Voted YES on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits.

Vote to pass a bill that would reduce the percentage of Social Security benefits that is taxable from 85 to 50 percent for single taxpayers with incomes over $25,000 and married couples with incomes over $32,000. The revenues that would be lost for the Medicare trust fund would be replaced by money from the general fund. Reference: Bill sponsored by Archer, R-TX; Bill HR 4865 ; vote number 2000-450 on Jul 27, 2000

Voted NO on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox.

Amending the Social Security Lockbox bill to require that any budget surplus cannot be spent until the solvency of Social Security and Medicare is guaranteed. Reference: Motion to Recommit introduced by Rangel, D-NY; Bill HR 1259 ; vote number 1999-163 on May 26, 1999

Rated 11% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record.

Hunter scores 11% by the ARA on senior issues

The mission of the Alliance for Retired Americans is to ensure social and economic justice and full civil rights for all citizens so that they may enjoy lives of dignity, personal and family fulfillment and security. The Alliance believes that all older and retired persons have a responsibility to strive to create a society that incorporates these goals and rights and that retirement provides them with opportunities to pursue new and expanded activities with their unions, civic organizations and their communities.

The following ratings are based on the votes the organization considered most important; the numbers reflect the percentage of time the representative voted the organization's preferred position.

Source: ARA website 03n-ARA on Dec 31, 2003

Reduce taxes on Social Security earnings.

Hunter signed the Contract with America:

[As part of the Contract with America, within 100 days we pledge to bring to the House Floor the following bill]:

The Senior Citizens Fairness Act:
Raise the Social Security earnings limit, which currently forces seniors out of the workforce; repeal the 1993 tax hikes on Social Security; and provide tax incentives for private long-term care insurance to let older Americans keep more of what they have earned over the years.

Source: Contract with America 93-CWA9 on Sep 27, 1994

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