Press Releases
September 28, 2022
Retiree Group Endorses Mark Kelly for Re-Election to U.S. Senate
Cites His Commitment to Protecting Earned Social Security and Medicare Benefits
Phoenix – Members of the Alliance for Retired Americans proudly announced their endorsement of Mark Kelly for re-election to the U.S. Senate from Arizona today. The Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans is a grassroots advocacy organization with more than 49,000 members across the state.
“Sen. Kelly has already proven as a member of the U.S. Senate that he will look out for older people in Washington. He has earned a perfect lifetime score of 100% in the Alliance’s annual Congressional Voting Record,” said Saundra Cole, President of the Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans. “We trust him to work to preserve our hard earned Social Security and Medicare benefits. He knows that many seniors in Arizona rely on those benefits, and he’s working to protect all of our retirement security.”
Blake Masters does not support protecting Social Security benefits. In fact, he supports privatizing and cutting them. Masters has not promised to protect Medicare from cuts.
“In the Senate, representing Arizona’s seniors has been a top priority,” said Senator Mark Kelly. “I’m proud of my work to lower prescription drug costs for seniors by letting Medicare negotiate down prices and capping out-of-pocket expenses. But there’s more to do. And I’m grateful to have the support of the Alliance for Retired Americans as I continue to work to protect Social Security, lower health care costs, and get our economy back on track. Arizona’s seniors can always count on me to show up and deliver results.”
In addition, Ms. Cole praised Sen. Kelly’s vote for legislation to make vaccines free for all Medicare beneficiaries; lower drug costs by requiring Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for seniors; cap out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,000 a year; and cap insulin copays at $35 per month. Masters called the bill containing those provisions a “disaster.”
Finally, Sen. Kelly supports expanding vote by mail and protecting voting rights. Masters does not.
“The stakes couldn’t be higher for seniors. We need Mark Kelly in the Senate fighting against any Republican plan to cut or ‘sunset’ Social Security and Medicare,” emphasized Cole. “Under the plan of Sen. Rick Scott (FL), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Social Security and Medicare would be automatically terminated within five years unless renewed by legislative action.”
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Contact: Dora Vasquez, retirees@azaflcio.org
