NASW Launches Web Page on Health Care Reform
NASW has been working on health care reform for decades. Most recently, we have collaborated with a number of groups that are aiming to enact health care reform now. To highlight NASW’s current efforts on Health Care Reform, we have launched a Health Care Reform Web page. See the plans proposed in Congress and NASW’s response to these plans. We have also posted the NASW policy statement on health care.
President Obama Nominates Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court
On May 26, President Obama named Judge Sonia Sotomayor as his nominee to fill the Supreme Court seat vacated by Justice David Souter. Judge Sotomayor comes to the nomination with stellar credentials. Her 17 years on the bench reflect her commitment to the law and improving the lives of Americans. NASW supports this nomination and sent an alert to ask members to contact their Senators and ask them to confirm Judge Sotomayor as a Justice.
Social Security Trustees Annual Report to Congress Released
On May 12, the Social Security Trustees annual report to Congress was released. In the 2009 Annual Report to Congress, the Trustees announced:
- The projected point at which tax revenues will fall below program costs comes in 2016 — one year sooner than the estimate in last year’s report.
- The projected point at which the Trust Funds will be exhausted comes in 2037 — four years sooner than the estimate in last year’s report.
- The projected actuarial deficit over the 75-year long-range period is 2.00 percent of taxable payroll — up from 1.70 percent in last year’s report.
- Over the 75-year period, the Trust Funds would require additional revenue equivalent to $5.3 trillion in today’s dollars to pay all scheduled benefits.
You can learn more about the highlights of the Trustee’s Report at: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pressoffice/pr/trustee09-pr.htm
You can also view the full Trustee’s Report at: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OACT/TR/2009/
NASW Provides Testimony to Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies
On May 5, NASW Executive Director Elizabeth Clark submitted written testimony to the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies. The testimony, The Profession of Social Work: Essential to a Healthy Economy was developed to comment on the current economic crisis including the way that social workers helped in past eras such as the Great Depression and how they should be involved as our current economy attempts to recover. The testimony is posted on our Web site.
