benefit plans, which offer a fixed payment at retirement. Bush said with pension reform completed, Congress now must address the future of the Social Security government pension plan, which along with the Medicare and Medicaid health-care programs, could take up 60 percent of the federal budget by 2030. “We have an obligation to confront this problem now,” Bush said. “I'm going to continue to work with the Congress … to reform these programs so we can ensure a secure retirement for all Americans. Some critics say the changes do nothing to stop companies from freezing their pensions and eventually will weaken the pension system. Bush seemed to recognize those criticisms and urged companies to do their part. “In the end, the primary responsibility rests with employers to fund the pension promises as soon as they can,” he said.
