Do Rehberg and Hill Still Support Privatizing Social Security?

Helena, Mont.--Montanans have some serious questions for Congressman Dennis Rehberg and governor candidate Rick Hill this morning, following last night's speech from GOP leader Paul Ryan (R-WI).

Ryan, who chairs the House Budget Committee, gave the Republican response to the State of the Union address. But he is better known for his plan to kill Social Security and Medicare. Ryan's unpopular plan would replace Social Security with private savings accounts and replaces Medicare with vouchers for seniors to buy private insurance.

Given Rehberg's history of supporting privatizing Social Secuirty in the past, Montanans want to know where he stands today. Hill, who served as a Montana Congressman for four years, also supported privatizing Social Security.

"If we had privatized Social Security and given control of our retirement to Wall Street before President Bush brought down our entire economy, thousands of hardworking Montanans would have seen their savings wiped out," said Ted Dick, executive director of the Montana Democratic Party. "Montanans deserve to know if Dennis Rehberg and Rick Hill still support their party leader's plan to privatize Social Security despite its overwhelming unpopularity."

Here's a brief look at Congressman Rehberg's and Congressman Hill's efforts to privatize Social Security:

Rehberg agreed with Bush’s proposal to privatize Social Security
According to the Great Falls Tribune, “Rehberg said the Social Security system needs to be preserved and protected to honor the commitment to retirees and older workers, but Congress should give younger workers the option of investing part of their retirement funds privately, as federal employees now do.  Rehberg said he agrees with GOP presidential candidate George W. Bush’s proposal to start by letting people invest up to two percent privately. Young people, who aren't sure Social Security will be there for them, could earn a greater return that way, Rehberg said.” [Great Falls Tribune, 7/28/00]

Congressman Rehberg voted to support Bush’s Social Security privatization plan
On July 25, 2001, Rehberg voted against an amendment that would have stopped the White House from implementing the Social Security privatization plan being developed by President Bush’s Social Security Commission.  A vote in favor of the amendment was to deny funding to advance the commission report. [HR 2590,Vote #273, 7/25/01]

In a 2000 speech to the AFL-CIO, Rehberg said Montanans ought to have the right to invest their Social Security payments in mutual funds. This would mean accepting a certain level of risk, he said, but it would also assure that, if the investor died, the money would go to his or her family and not to the government.  “We shouldn't be propping up a failed system,” Rehberg said. [Associated Press, 6/24/00]
    
Hill supported privatizing Social Security
During his 1996 campaign, Hill stated that he was particularly interested in addressing the flawed Social Security program through a number of changes, including privatizing a portion of the program.  [Stillwater County News, 7/31/96; Bozeman Daily Chronicle, 9/20/96]  Hill claims that he is interested in preserving Social Security for future generations and ensuring that those who have paid into the system receive their benefits.  However, by supporting privatization efforts, Hill is jeopardizing Social Security's future.  [Franked Mail, 6/17/97]

Hill supported cutting Social Security by $23 billion
In 1995, Rep. Hill voted to cut Social Security by $23 billion over seven years.  The plan was part of the Republican’s FY 1996 Budget Resolution, which reduced the rate of growth of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the figure used to determine how much the cost of consumer goods have increased in the previous year.  The CPI is used to determine cost of living adjustments for Social Security benefits. [H.Con. Res. 67, 5/18/95, CQ #345; House Action Report 104-2, 5/16/95]