National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
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| National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare | |
|---|---|
| Name | National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare |
| Type | Nonprofit advocacy organization |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Founder | James Roosevelt |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Key people | Max Richtman |
| Area served | United States |
| Focus | Social Security, Medicare, retirement security |
National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare is an American nonprofit advocacy organization focused on defending Social Security and Medicare benefits. Founded in 1976 during the presidencies of Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, the organization has engaged with members of the United States Congress, federal agencies such as the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and national coalitions including the AARP and the National Association of Social Workers. It operates from Washington, D.C. and maintains a public-facing presence in media outlets such as The New York Times and The Washington Post.
History
The group's origins trace to efforts by James Roosevelt and activists who responded to policy debates involving President Gerald Ford and the 1970s energy crisis; early activity overlapped with lobbying around the Social Security Amendments of 1977 and the reelection campaigns of Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. In the 1980s the organization engaged in the fiscal policy debates connected to the Reagan administration and the Tax Reform Act of 1986, aligning with coalitions that opposed proposals reminiscent of those advanced during the Gramm–Rudman–Hollings Balanced Budget Act discussions. During the 1990s and 2000s the group expanded its outreach amid legislation such as the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and the deliberations that preceded the Medicare Part D enactment; it also responded to policy frameworks proposed by presidential candidates including Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, John McCain, Barack Obama, and Mitt Romney.
Mission and Activities
The organization's stated mission emphasizes preservation of Social Security and Medicare benefits, protection of retirement income for beneficiaries represented by entities like the AARP and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare's partners, and opposition to privatization schemes similar to those proposed in discussions influenced by think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation and the Cato Institute. Its activities include grassroots mobilization, direct lobbying before committees such as the United States Senate Committee on Finance and the United States House Committee on Ways and Means, public education campaigns in collaboration with outlets like CNN and Fox News, and litigation support that intersects with jurists from the Supreme Court of the United States and federal appellate courts. The group organizes events, publishes reports aimed at policymakers in the United States Congress and agencies including the Office of Management and Budget, and partners with labor organizations such as the AFL–CIO and advocacy networks like MoveOn.org.
Advocacy and Policy Positions
The organization advocates against benefit cuts and structural changes it characterizes as reductions, opposing proposals put forward by leaders such as Paul Ryan, Pete Peterson, and commissions modeled on the Bowles–Simpson Commission. It supports policies to maintain or expand indexed benefits aligned with the Social Security Amendments and has commented on healthcare legislation including the Affordable Care Act debates led by Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. On prescription drug pricing and Medicare Part D formularies, the group has aligned with stakeholder positions promoted by members of the United States Senate such as Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Chuck Schumer. It has opposed private accounts and market-based approaches resembling recommendations from Alan Greenspan and has promoted revenue options sometimes advocated by figures like Robert Reich and Paul Krugman.
Organizational Structure and Leadership
The committee is structured as a membership-based nonprofit with a board of directors, state affiliates, and a national staff; its internal governance mirrors models used by advocacy organizations such as the AARP and the National Rifle Association in terms of board oversight and executive leadership. Leadership has included presidents and chief executives who have testified before the United States Congress and appeared at events alongside policymakers from the Democratic National Committee and state parties; notable leaders have engaged with experts from the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute. The group maintains state chapters that interact with governors, state legislatures, and advocacy coalitions in jurisdictions from California to Florida and Texas.
Funding and Financial Transparency
Funding sources for the organization include individual memberships, donations from foundations, and grants consistent with nonprofit practices used by institutions such as the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The group files financial disclosures with the Internal Revenue Service under nonprofit tax classifications and publishes annual reports that parallel reporting norms followed by the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Financial transparency debates involving the organization have referenced norms established by watchdogs such as ProPublica and OpenSecrets and compared disclosure practices to those of other advocacy entities like the Heritage Foundation and Center for American Progress.
Controversies and Criticism
The organization has faced criticism from policy analysts and advocacy groups including commentators associated with the Cato Institute, Heritage Foundation, and certain journalists at The Wall Street Journal who have questioned its messaging, funding, and lobbying tactics. Critics have alleged overly combative rhetoric comparable to disputes involving AARP and accused the group of partisan alignment during contentious policy fights in Congressional budget negotiations led by figures like Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell. Supporters and allies—ranging from leaders in the AFL–CIO to progressive lawmakers such as Bernie Sanders—have defended its record, while investigative reporting by outlets like ProPublica and The New York Times has at times scrutinized its expenditures and campaign practices.