SECTION:news

First lady outlines impact of Social Security on women

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- Most Americans first heard about Social Security as they registered for their cards to help them get their first jobs as teenagers. But most people -- women in particular -- are only beginning to understand how the system benefits them, Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday. "The future of Social Security is, without a doubt, one of the most important issues facing our country and facing women in America today," the first lady said. "Yet many of us are just beginning to get involved in the debate, and we're just starting to learn about how Social Security affects us as women." Hillary Clinton's comments opened the teleconference "What Every Woman Should Know About Social Security." The gathering linked Washington to 10 major cities across the nation. It was intended to stress the significance of preserving the retirement program and explain how Americans, particularly women, benefit from it. More than half of all elderly women would fall below the poverty level without Social Security, Hillary Clinton said. Currently, she said, Social Security is the only income one in four women receives. "When you go to the supermarket, when you go to church or to synagogue, when you're walking down the street, I want you to think that every other woman you see who is over 65 would be living below the poverty line if it were not for Social Security," she said. Women have "unique life patterns," because they live longer then men, she said.

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