Bennet a No-Show at 92% of Senior Citizen Hearings
Bennet skips Social Security, senior hearings--even when they're in Colorado

DENVER—Senator Michael Bennet has trouble with attendance. Yesterday, it was revealed that he wants to limit debates with Republican Senate candidate Ken Buck. Now Coloradans are learning that Bennet is ditching work.

Bennet is a member of the Special Committee on Aging, which tackles issues such as Social Security and other important matters relating to the country’s growing population of senior citizens. Records show that Bennet has attended only two of the committee’s 25 hearings. Bennet even skipped a committee hearing in Pueblo, Colo., on Aug. 28.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Buck campaign manager, John Swartout. “Most workers would lose their jobs if they played hooky 92 percent of the time. Bennet should show some respect to the taxpayers who are paying his salary and show up to work.”

One of the main functions of the Aging Committee is to look at ways to save Social Security and make sure it is solvent for future generations. In fact, by law, the Aging Committee must report to the Senate annually on potential fixes to the retirement system's long-term deficit. Like he did 92% of the time, Bennet skipped the hearing concerning Social Security fixes in June of 2009.

Media outlets have repeatedly pointed out how Bennet is unwilling to state a plan for saving Social Security. As the Denver Post reported , Bennet "says he awaits the recommendations of a bipartisan deficit commission appointed by Obama and that Congress needs to agree on the facts before debating solutions.” (Denver Post, 9/5/2010) Conveniently, the commission won't come back with recommendations until after the elections.

“Bennet sits on the committee charged with researching these facts,” added Swartout. “It’s clear that he is more concerned about his political career than taking care of our senior citizens.”

For more on appointed Sen. Bennet’s unwillingness to state his positions on the issues, see--

Bennet, Buck face tough questions on spending issues - The Denver Post
http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_15996180

Avoiding the Issues – The Denver Post
http://www.denverpost.com/haley/ci_16158179

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