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Bush Gives Nod for Top Republican to Offer Social
Security Bill Without Private Accounts
Sen. Bennett told Salt Lake Tribune he plans two
bills one with investment accounts
 June
21, 2005 President Bush has given his approval to Social Security
legislation that does not include private investment accounts, according
to the Associated Press. Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah) has said he may
introduce his bill as early as next week. It may be more political
strategy than the AP report suggests, since the Salt Lake Tribune
reported last week that Bennett intends to offer two bills one that
does include provisions for private investment accounts.
Bennett, chief deputy majority whip for the senate
republicans, told the AP he told the President about his bill at a White
House luncheon and Bush offered his encouragement. The AP quoted Bennett
as saying, "He indicated that I should go forward and do that,and I'm
grateful
even though his own preference would be to have personal
accounts included."
Bennett is planning to introduce two bills in
order to separate the two pieces of the debate - one that seeks to keep
Social Security solvent by slowing the hike in benefits paid out, and
another that would allow the creation of personal investment accounts
according to the Salt Lake Tribune story by Robert Gehrke.
Sen. Bob Bennett is looking to revive talks on
Social Security reform, as President Bush's campaign for private
accounts fails to take hold in the Congress or the country, wrote
Gehrke.
A number of polls have shown waining support for
the Presidents proposals on Social Security. The Associated Press-Ipsos
poll a few weeks ago found 37 percent of Americans support Bush's
handling of Social Security, while 59 percent disapprove.
 "Democrats
and some Republicans say, 'We will not vote for anything that includes
personal accounts,' and that seems to have slowed the whole thing down,"
Bennett told the Tribunes Gehrke in an interview on Thursday.
"My reaction is, that shouldn't slow the whole
thing down and let's find out how serious people really are when they
say, 'Yes, there really is a problem, but I don't like personal
accounts,' " he said.
Bennett also told the Tribune that he has kept the
White House apprised of his plans, and is open to its input. So the
discussion at the White House luncheon was not the first time the White
House heard about the two bills being drafted by Bennett.
The White House told the AP that President Bush is
still committed to private investment accounts being a part of Social
Security reform. They said his nod to the Bennett bill is just
consistent with his past encouragement for Congress to offer new ideas.
Passing the Social Security legislation would be a
big step up for Bennett, who has passed the following three bills in
this Congress.
S.163 : A bill to establish the National Mormon Pioneer Heritage
Area in the State of Utah, and for other purposes.
S.164 : A bill to provide for the acquisition of certain property in
Washington County, Utah.
S.182 : A bill to provide for the establishment of the Uintah
Research and Curatorial Center for Dinosaur National Monument in the
States of Colorado and Utah, and for other purposes.
Senator Bennett currently serves as Chief Deputy
Whip working with Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate
Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN). In this capacity, Bennett helps set
the Senate agenda and schedule and serves as a key advisor on the Senate
leadership team.
To read the Salt Lake Tribune report
click here.
To read the AP report
click here.
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