August 10, 1998

MEMO RE: Testifying at the June 30 Senate hearing

Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum's office called in mid-June to invite me to testify at a June 30 hearing of the Senate Special Committee on Aging. The topic was The Challenges Social Security Faces Today, and a copy of the text of my testimony was sent to you. My name was obtained from AARP, which in turn got it from The Century Foundation's directory of Social Security experts.

I was one of either persons invited. The formal invitation from Senator Chuck Grassely, the Committee chair, and Senator Santorum stated that the hearing would be a "balanced discussion of the solvency and equity issues facing Social Security." However, six of the seven others were professional lobbyists for privatization, and the seventh was a student who favors it. We each had five minutes for our formal presentation followed by a discussion and questions. A fellow panelist said he was glad I was there to defend Social Security and thus liven up the hearing.

When introducing me, Senator Santorum said he believed I was representing AARP. I replied that I was an independent representing no organization, and I had the sense he would have preferred an AARP representative. The senator is a co-leader of the Republican party's privatization movement in the Senate. The session was presented on cable TV in Pennsylvania. I ordered a copy of the video and was relieved to see that I came out okay.

I am pleased to enclose an Op-Ed article on Chile's social security program that I wrote at the invitation of Newsday and, also, a letter to the Editor of The New York Times expressing my concern about what I see as the weakening of the Constitutional balance of powers. Call me if you have any questions or comments.

Sincerely,

David Langer

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