Thank you for contacting me about recent legislation affecting the U.S.-Mexico Totalization Agreement. I value your opinion and appreciate your taking the time to share it with me.



As you may know, a totalization agreement with Mexico has not been approved. The agreement signed by the Commissioner of Social Security and the Director General of the Mexican Social Security Institute on June 29, 2004, is only the first step in the approval process. The State Department and the White House must review the agreement in order to determine whether the agreement should be sent to Congress for approval. Congress has the final say. Should the President send a proposed totalization agreement with Mexico to Congress for approval, Congress then has 60 days during which either the House or Senate are in session to consider the agreement and to disapprove it if necessary.

Estimates of what this deal with the Mexican government would cost top one billion dollars per year. As the system braces for a steep increase in those who will be drawing from the Social Security trust fund, it makes no sense to expand it into a global welfare system. Social Security was designed to provide support for retired American citizens who worked in the United States. Like you, I believe we should be shoring up the system for those Americans who have paid into the system for decades, not expanding it to cover foreigners who have not.


I am a proud cosponsor of House Resolution 20 which expresses the disapproval of the House of Representatives of the Social Security totalization agreement between the United States and Mexico. This resolution is pending consideration by the House Ways and Means Committee. I will continue to monitor its progress and work hard for its passage by the full House of Representatives.



Thanks again for contacting me about an issue of concern to both of us. Please feel free to call me about this or any other issue. You can sign-up to receive the Fourth District E-Mail Newsletter by visiting http://geoffdavis.house.gov/EmailSignup.aspx.



Sincerely,









Geoff Davis

Member of Congress