Fighting Attack on Seniors; Touring Affordable Housing Projects in San Francisco
Fighting the Attack on Seniors
On Tuesday, I spoke about the urgent need to preserve Medicare and Social Security at the 2011 Aging in America Conference in San Francisco on the “Future of Aging Services in America.” Last month, House Republicans voted to pass a budget to end Medicare as we know it and dramatically raise seniors’ health costs. AARP stated the plan “rather than tackling skyrocketing health care costs, would simply shift these costs onto the backs of people in Medicare.” I was proud to join every Democrat in the House in voting against this misguided plan.
Congresswoman Pelosi delivers remarks at Aging in America conference opening session in San Francisco
Their plan:
* Everyone currently under age 55 would not be enrolled in Medicare, but would be forced to buy private insurance with a voucher that decreases in value each year.
* Would more than double a typical senior’s health care costs in 2022 – increasing out-of-pocket health costs by more than $6,000, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
* Immediately raises health care costs for seniors, who would face higher prescription drug costs as they end health reform’s provisions closing the ‘donut hole’ by 2020. And, they eliminate the new free preventive care benefit under Medicare, including the free annual wellness visit.
Social Security and Medicare are solemn pledges to our seniors – a promise of a safe and secure source of retirement income and health care for Americans. Protecting Social Security and Medicare is among my top priorities.
Working for Affordable Housing in San Francisco
On Monday, I was privileged to join Mayor Lee and Supervisor Eric Mar for the grand opening of St. Peter’s Place, which will offer 20 new affordable housing units for developmentally disabled adults on 29th Avenue between Geary and Clement. St. Peter’s Place is a national model for the deep need for affordable housing for developmentally disabled adults in San Francisco and across the nation.
I also joined Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi and Hiroshi Inomata, the Consulate General of Japan, for a tour of Nihonmachi Terrace, an affordable housing development that has provided homes to over 400 low-income Japanese American seniors and families for over 30 years. I attended the groundbreaking ceremony in September 2009 for the rehabilitation of Nihonmachi Terrace and was honored to be able to tour the beautiful new facilities, which include a traditional Japanese garden, a newly reinforced roof, and fire safety sprinklers.
I will take the memories of my visits to St. Peter’s Place and Nihonmachi Terrace back to my colleagues in the Congress as examples to the country of how we can do affordable housing right, for our seniors and for our families. All Americans should have access to a safe, decent and affordable place to call home. I am working to stabilize the housing market, preserve public housing, expand affordable mortgage loan opportunities, and strengthen consumer protections against risky loans. We must ensure that all of our citizens can secure the affordable, safe, and energy-efficient homes they deserve.
Please feel free to forward this information to your family and friends. To learn more about these efforts, to express your views, or to sign up for email updates, please visit my Web site. I am also on Twitter https://twitter.com/NancyPelosi.