Congressman Lynch Discusses Debt Limit Via Telephone Town Hall Meeting

With several possible solutions to the U.S. debt limit issue in play and even more opinions on how those results could affect Social Security, seniors in the Ninth Congressional District have been reaching out to Congressman Stephen F. Lynch for answers.

In a telephone town hall meeting on Friday, Lynch vowed to protect seniors and Social Security as the deadline to raise the national debt limit approaches. The Treasury Secretary has said the limit of $14 trillion will be reached by Aug. 2.

Over the past two weeks, the Democratic congressman said his offices in Boston, Brockton and D.C. were all inundated with calls about the debt limit. Between 80 and 90 percent were from seniors asking questions about the impact a deal could have on Social Security and Medicare.

While Lynch prefers the live town hall meetings like his tour around the district in May, he said he felt the need to address his constituents from Washington as the debate continued.

At 1 p.m. on Friday, 76,000 households around the Ninth Congressional District with residents over the age of 55, received telephone calls inviting them to take part in the call.

Lynch said a "great response" of 17,000 residents took part in the call. Many seniors were given a chance to raise questions during the session, which lasted just over an hour.

“I was very pleased with the intelligence and the informed nature of the questions,” said Lynch on Saturday from Washington D.C.

Lynch said he used the call to clear up misconceptions about how Social Security could be impacted. He said the call also touched on ways the debt ceiling crisis could be handled.

On Saturday, both the House of Representatives and the Senate continued to debate the future of the debt limit.

“We’re working here, trying to find some common ground,” Lynch said of the ongoing debate.

Though Lynch is working toward common ground, he remained steadfast in what he called an effort to “protect seniors and Social Security.”

“There’s a difference between compromise and surrender,” said Lynch.

Though there are no plans to have other telephone town hall meetings about the debt limit or any other issues, Lynch said it is a tool he would consider on an as needed basis.