[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 10] [House] [Page 13387] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]SOCIAL SECURITY'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY (Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) Ms. EDWARDS of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the upcoming 75th anniversary of Social Security and express my support for the financial security of millions of retired Americans. Representing Maryland's Fourth Congressional District, I serve many who oversee and administer the Social Security Administration. One of my constituents I had the honor of meeting out at Collington retirement community in Mitchellville, Maryland. Robert M. Ball was one of the chief architects of Social Security, the program we know today. Mr. Ball was Social Security's chief administrator from 1962 to 1973. He was described once as ``the undisputed spiritual leader, and its chief advocate and defender.'' He served three presidents, Republicans and Democrats, to make sure it remained strong for all of us. He passed away in January 2008, but he left a legacy barely known outside Washington, but a program that's the backbone of America's social safety net. At a time when Republicans are threatening the privatization of Social Security, Mr. Ball would say not now. Can you imagine what would have happened just a year ago when our Nation suffered its worst financial crisis since the Great Depression? Our seniors would have lost everything, and our young people would be starting from scratch. The American people deserve better. Democrats are going to give them better. And we need to get our economy back on track, put people back to work, contribute to Social Security, and strengthen our most successful program of the 21st century. ____________________