Contact: Paul Nathanson, 277-1044 Media Contact: Laurie Mellas-Ramirez, 277-5915

Jan. 24, 2003 UNM'S NATHANSON ELECTED TO CHAIR BOARD FOR NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO PRESERVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE Paul Nathanson, director of the University of New Mexico School of Law's Institute of Public Law, has been elected chair of the board of directors for the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. With several million members and additional supporters across the nation, including 20,000 in New Mexico, the committee is a premiere advocacy group devoted to the retirement security of U.S. citizens. "This is a critical time for social insurance programs," Nathanson said. "Many in Washington favor proposals that would partially privatize Social Security - trading off the guaranteed benefit of Social Security for personal retirement accounts invested in the stock market." There are similar proposals afoot in Washington that would make Medicare more reliant on private insurance companies. "This is a first step toward privatization of the one program that ensures health care for almost all seniors in this country," Nathanson said. Barbara B. Kennelly, committee president and CEO and former U.S. congresswoman (D-CT), when announcing the appointment said that throughout Nathanson's career he "has sought to protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare." He has been a board member since 1998. "As an attorney and activist, he has been a tireless defender of the rights of seniors throughout this country. He is a recognized expert on aging issues and elder law, having written extensively on geriatrics, healthcare and financial issues of concern to seniors. He has been an important voice on our board," Kennelly said. Nathanson's goals as chair include intensifying efforts to educate young people about Social Security's fundamental benefits. "This program is the one continuing example of our national community," Nathanson said. "I think we need to take the moral high ground. Even though Social Security makes financial sense as a safe retirement investment, it is a prime example of caring for the entire community. Some of the questions that needs to be asked are, 'if we are a community then don't we owe each other something? Can't we help those who need a secure retirement and not only think of what is best for us personally?' I will try to make the case beyond dollars and cents." Nathanson said people of color rely on the system in far greater numbers. Another aim is to diversify the committee's support base. At UNM since 1980, Nathanson was faculty in the Elderly Law Program before being named director of the School of Law's Institute of Public Law in 1983. He was on special assignment to the UNM Office of the President charged with leading the University's community relations from 1993-95. Nathanson is past president of the American Society on Aging and was executive director of the National Senior Citizens Law Center from 1972-1980. He has also been a senior research fellow at the Heller School of Social Policy at Brandeis University and associate with the law firm of O'Melveny & Meyers. He earned a J.D. with distinction from Duke University School of Law, 1967, and masters of Comparative Law from the University of Chicago Law School, 1969. For more information about the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, visit www.ncpssm.org, or call 202-216-0420. ###

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