Number: RL31498
Title: Social Security Reform: Economic Issues
Authors: Jane Gravelle and Marc Labonte, Government and Finance Division 
Abstract: Comprehensive Social Security reform has been an issue of debate in Congress for some time, but no major action has occurred. Reform proposals have been driven in part by a recognition that in the future the program is financially unsustainable under current policy. This report tackles the issue from an economic perspective that focuses not merely on reform that achieves programmatic sustainability (sustainability within the trust fund), but reform that achieves sustainability for the government and economy as a whole. Moreover, it stresses the importance of understanding the economic consequences of program changes if one is to understand who pays to achieve this sustainability and what type of changes might be consistent with the economic rationale for social insurance.
Pages: 46
Date: January 31, 2007