AARP Members Send Millions of Petitions to Congress

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Nov 15, 2011, 11:00 ET

Illinois Seniors Want Washington to Oppose any Budget Deal that Cuts Social Security and Medicare Benefits

CHICAGO, Nov. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AARP today announced that it has collected more than 6.5 million petitions urging members of Congress not to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits for deficit reduction. AARP staff and volunteers will deliver petitions, signed by individuals who oppose any budget deal that cuts the benefits they worked for, directly to members of Congress this week as part of an ongoing effort to communicate the need to protect Social Security and Medicare benefits from harmful cuts.

AARP Illinois staff and volunteers will deliver over 63,245 petitions this week to the offices of the Illinois Congressional Delegation. In total, over 116,171 petitions have been signed in Illinois.

"With a typical income of less than $20,000, older Americans today rely on Medicare and Social Security," said Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois State Director. "Our members are very concerned about potential cuts to these lifeline programs, and they're calling on their Senators and Representatives to look beyond the numbers and protect the people who have earned and need these benefits."

The text of the petition sent to Senators and Representatives follows:

"As one of your constituents and as a member of AARP, I urge you to oppose any budget deal that cuts Social Security and Medicare benefits to reduce the federal deficit. Instead of cutting the benefits I worked for, Congress should be cutting waste and closing tax loopholes. I worked my entire life and paid into the system so I'd have a guaranteed source of income and health coverage when I retired. Congress needs to make responsible decisions to reduce our nation's deficit, but they can do so without harming the health and economic security of seniors and future retirees."

For more information about the petition and to see many of the millions of people who signed petitions, please visit: www.aarp.org/protectseniors. An interactive map tracking grassroots actions can also be accessed here: action.aarp.org/map.

"With time running down on the supercommittee's deliberations, we're taking every opportunity to make our members' voices heard and their message is simple: don't cut Social Security and Medicare benefits to fix the deficit," Gallo added.

SOURCE AARP Illinois