Coalition of Leading Latino Organizations Denounces GOP Budget Plan to Dismantle Medicare and Medicaid, Attacks Social Security

For Immediate Release

April 6, 2011

Contact: Enrique Cortez, enrique@enitially.com, 202-525-7411

Latinos for a Secure Retirement Executive Director, Jeff Cruz, Participates in House Democratic Caucus Seniors Task Force Meeting

“The Republican Budget Proposal presented by Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI), chair of the House Budget Committee, is an attack on working families. For the Latinos, this budget does nothing but set back an entire community by targeting young and old alike,” stated Brent Wilkes, LULAC National Executive Director and member of Latinos for a Secure Retirement, a coalition organization of nine leading national Latino groups serving as a voice for the Latino American community in the fight to defend Social Security. “Latino seniors are particularly vulnerable to the proposed cuts and changes to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, and this plan is a direct affront to their livelihood.”

The Latinos for a Secure Retirement (LSR) coalition brings together some of the strongest and most prominent advocates for Latinos in the country including the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), The Hispanic Federation, the National Hispanic Council on Aging, MANA- A National Latina Organization, SER- Jobs for Progress National, Inc., the Institute for the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Elderly, the American GI Forum and the National Association for Hispanic Elderly.

While keeping millions of seniors out of poverty every year, the average Social Security benefit for Latino seniors is only $12,213 for men, and only $9,536 for Latinas. The proposed cuts are especially egregious for Latinos given that these Social Security benefits represent nearly all the income for almost half of Latino seniors. The Ryan proposal also targets cuts to vital programs that many Latino families rely on including Medicare and Medicaid.

“The Republican leadership has once again revealed itself as irresponsible and out of touch with the needs of all Americans,” stated Jeff Cruz, LSR Executive Director, who is participating in a press conference for the House Democratic Caucus Seniors Task Force highlighting the GOP budget’s effect on seniors. “Instead of building opportunities to lift Americans of all classes equally, the Ryan budget steals from seniors and low-income families to feed the wealthiest among us.”

Latinos for a Secure Retirement and its coalition members urges Congress to reject this budget proposal outright. A responsible, even-handed budget is needed that will not only address our national deficit but will protect Latino seniors and all Americans equally.