Resolution On Reaffirming the Importance of Our Nation's Social Insurance System
(Social Security and Medicare)

Approved by the 216^th General Assembly (2004)

The 216th General Assembly (2004) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

1. Reaffirms the importance of our nation's social insurance system, specifically Social Security and Medicare that were enacted to promote the general welfare, and to assure a guaranteed income and health care for the workers of the United States.

2. Urges our nation's leaders to support and maintain the fundamental structure and intent of Social Security, expressly that it continue to be

a. universal, covering all persons in paid employment and their families,

b. compulsory, requiring all working Americans to contribute to our future security,

c. an earned right, based on contributions out of past earnings rather than charity,

d. contributory and self-financed, out of dedicated taxes, e.g. wage-related rather than means tested,

e. protected against inflation, by periodic, guaranteed, cost-of-living adjustments, and

f. backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, rather than depending on the erratic performance of the stock market or the unpredictable financial stability and profit interests of a private company.

3. Requests the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy, in concert with the Office of Health Ministries U.S.A., to review the PC(USA) position paper, "Economic Security for Older Persons," approved by the 195th General Assembly (1983), in order to update the changes in laws affecting mandatory retirement, Social Security, and pension policies; and to reexamine the interpretations of some of these policies. Request that the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy, in concert with Office of Health Ministries U.S.A., make a report of this review to the 217th General Assembly (2006).

4. Disseminates this overture immediately to members of Congress, to the president's administration, and to the media, synods, presbyteries, church congregations, and individual Presbyterians.

5. Instructs the Office of the General Assembly to communicate immediately with the National Council of Churches of Christ and with other ecumenical partners to express concern of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on issues surrounding our national insurance system; and inviting them to participate in developing a shared position and action strategy to affect public policy. Request that a report of these actions be made to the 217th General Assembly (2006).

You can read this resolution in PDF format on the PC(USA) website.

Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick sent this resolution to all congregations last September, with a helpful cover letter, underscoring the resolution's emphasis "that Medicare and Social Security were enacted to promote the general welfare, and to assure a guaranteed income and health care for the workers of the United States."

You can also read the full text of the overture which proposed this resolution, with its supporting rationales.