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The Charge

John Gard’s television ad claims Steve Kagen voted to take money from Social Security and spend it on other government programs.
[Gard TV 10/13/08]

The Facts:

Congressman Kagen didn’t vote to take money from Social Security.

In fact, in January 2007, Congressman Kagen voted to stop Congress from taking money from Social Security.
[H. Res. 6 1/4/07]

Background

When President Bush came into office, there was a budget surplus, and a surplus in Social Security.  However, President Bush’s tax cuts, passed by a Republican Congress in 2001 and 2003, put the budget into deficit, and the government began taking money out of the Social Security trust fund to make up the difference.

When the government runs a deficit - when it spends more than what it takes in from income taxes and fees - it borrows money from the Social Security Trust Fund to make up the difference.  Congressman Kagen has always been against this because it is not fiscally responsible.

Social Security taxes are taken out of paychecks, and used to pay Social Security benefits. The difference between what is collected and what is used to pay benefits goes into the Social Security Trust Fund.

In 2007, Congressman Kagen voted to limit the amount of money that would be taken from Social Security. He voted for spending rules, which Congress adopted, that require an equal amount of spending cuts to offset any new spending or new tax cuts.  This will help balance the government’s budget and keep money in the Social Security Trust Fund from being used for anything other than Social Security benefits.