October 14, 2011
October 2011, Commission to Modernize Social Security (Maya M. Rockeymoore, Meizhu Lui, Nicole Woo, et. al.)
Throughout its 76-year history, Social Security has maintained a successful track record of performance—never missing a payment and reducing poverty among vulnerable groups. Unlike other part of the U.S. budget, the Social Security trust funds currently have a surplus and are able to fully pay benefits until the year 2036. Extending Social Security Administration. (2011). The 2011 Annual Report of the Board of Trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Federal Disability Insurance Trust Funds. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. the solvency of the program beyond that point will require modest programmatic changes. Because decisions made today about the program’s future will profoundly affect the next generation’s ability to survive and thrive, it is the collective responsibility of national leaders to ensure that any changes are made with the best interests of the next generation as a top priority. This can only be done by understanding who these children are and what socioeconomic circumstances they are likely to face as they come of age and mature in the middle to latter part of the 21 st century.
Report – PDF
