SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — At a senior citizen fair held Wednesday, many concerned seniors called on Congress to protect a program they rely on. One of the people vying to represent them in Washington said he’s listening.
State Senator John Mannion (D-Geddes) hosted the fair at the SRC Arena.
“This is really a source of pride for us to be able to do this for our seniors,” Mannion said. “In Central New York, we love our seniors.”
Dozens of those local seniors lined up to sign a petition asking lawmakers to protect Social Security from potential insolvency. Kat Fisher, who works for AARP in New York, helped to organize the effort.
“Almost everyone in this room is on Social Security so we’re really trying to send a message to Congress about protecting it,” Fisher said.
Mannion, who is running for Congress in New York’s 22nd Congressional District, says that programs that help seniors are “essential.”
“We have to protect them,” Mannion said, “we have to protect them. People have paid into these systems for their entire lives, the working people of this country. This is our commitment to them.”
Amid all of the drama and infighting on Capitol Hill, Fisher says this issue is often overlooked. She also warns that a deadline to address these concerns is approaching.
“It occasionally comes up in conversation, but it’s really not at the top of anyone’s agenda and we really need it to be. If we keep going at the current rate, it’s only guaranteed until 2034 and so there’s not enough people paying in now to support the number of people receiving the benefit that we earned.”
Mannion says that, if elected to Congress next year, he knows that changes will be needed to keep Social Security afloat.
“When it comes to the funding, I understand that we are going to have to make some changes,” Mannion said, “to make sure that everybody can enjoy the benefit that they paid into.”
One of the seniors at the fair is 72-year-old Steve Becker. He says he wants Congress to work together to find solutions
“We put in over the years and we should be able to get that,” Becker says. “I think people in Congress should recognize that we need their support.”
