LAWMAKERS
LAWMAKERS
WETA "LAWMAKERS" 2/03/1983 IN 08.03.50-WETA credit/sponsor credits/title sequence 08.04.44-PAUL DUKE/COKIE ROBERTS/LINDA WERTHEIMER-on program-REAGAN'S BUDGET PROPOSAL lands on Capitol Hill, almost everyone wants to change it. This budget is more pragmatic than REAGAN'S past efforts. Also, HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE starts picking at the SOCIAL SECURITY COMMISSION PROPOSAL. 08.05.38-M/S ALAN GREENSPAN testifying to House Committee advocating SOCIAL SECURITY COMMISSION PROPOSAL. Says the government's response to SOCIAL SECURITY is a key marker to the U.S. and international financial communities of how the U.S. government will deal with economic crisis. C/S Rep. CLAUDE PEPPER in office, says the plan isn't perfect, but it's the best plan with a chance to succeed. M/S Sen. BILL ARMSTRONG speaking to audience of SENIOR CITIZENS, says the Commission's recommendations won't solve the problem of the shortfall of funds, objects to TAX INCREASES to finance SOCIAL SECURITY. Shots of audience at AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS meeting. Sen. ARMSTRONG pledges to amend the proposal. 08.07.35-shots of ELDERLY in audience. ROBERTS v.o.-ARMSTRONG'S bill is likely to be the opposite of what ELDERLY want. C/S Dr. PAUL KERSHCNER, official of AARP, says the group works with many legislators, but they don't speak for the group. AARP wants to raise revenues aside from PAYROLL TAXES, and don't want BENEFITS to be CUT. Shot of AARP letterhead. C/S KERSCHNER, says AARP isn't out to defeat the Commission report, but to defend the income of ELDERLY, who have tightened belts as far as they can. ROBERTS v.o.-FEDERAL EMPLOYEES don't like the idea of being included in SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM. C/S JAMES PIERCE, Pres. Nat'l Fed. Of Federal Employees, says the proposal sounds good on paper, but FEDERAL EMPLOYEES are less than 2% of the national workforce, how can that part of the plan really help SOCIAL SECURITY. 08.09.16-Wide shot of HOUSE CHAMBER during STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS. C/S REAGAN, praises the report of the SOCIAL SECURITY COMMISSION, asks CONGRESS to pass it into law. C/S Sen. ARMSTRONG concedes that support by TIP O'NEILL and REAGAN means the proposal will probably pass, but he is still going to try to change it. C/S AARP director, says that AARP is going to fight to change the plan because they believe that they represent the interests of all SENIOR CITIZENS. C/S PIERCE says that FEDERAL EMPLOYEES want to emphasize that including FEDERAL EMPLOYEES won't solve SOCIAL SECURITY'S problems. ROBERTS v.o.-opposition by such groups usually kills less significant legislation. Shots of hearing of HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE. C/S Rep. GUY VANDER JAGT (R-MI) asking Social Security Commissioners if a consensus could be built around an alternate plan should this one fail. M/S commissioner ALEXANDER TROWBRIDGE, says he doubts that an alternative could be pushed through. 08.11.08-DUKE/ROBERTS-discussion of the lobbing efforts likely to ensue against the plan against expectations the bill will sail through committee to House vote. Still doubt about long-term solutions to SOCIAL SECURITY. DUKE-REAGAN sends BUDGET for 1984 to Congress. WERTHEIMER-REAGAN seemed to be conciliatory in STATE OF THE UNION, but his budget looked confrontational to Congress.