The Aspen Institute

On July 28, 2011, the Aspen Institute Initiative on Financial Security (Aspen IFS) hosted a Congressional briefing on Social Security in Cannon House Office Building.  The briefing, “Social Security: The Trust Fund, the Deficit, and Americans’ Retirement Security,” featured keynote remarks from Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA), and expert panelists Pamela Perun, Senior Policy Consultant at Aspen IFS; Patricia Dilley, Professor of Law at University of Florida Levin College of Law; David John, Senior Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation; Dean Baker, Co-Director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research; and Janice Gregory, President of the National Academy of Social Insurance. The event also marked the release of Aspen IFS’s latest white paper, Social Security: The House that Roosevelt Built.Congressman Becerra opened by reiterating one of the paper’s main points—the Social Security trust fund is a valid trust.  The panel discussion followed, covering everything from the legal status of the trust fund, motives behind the historic Social Security Amendments of 1983, possible future changes to Social Security, and the vital role Social Security plays in the financial security of American households.

Watch briefing