Conference # Social Security Symposium: A Global Perspective Date and Time May 9, 2024 8:45 AM - 2:30 PM EDT Location Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC Share This Event ##### Featuring ![Andrew G. Biggs circle crop](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2024-03/andrew-g-biggs-circle.jpeg?itok=cQYogL_b) Andrew G. Biggs Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute [![Romina-Boccia-cropped2.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2022-09/Romina-Boccia-cropped2.jpg?itok=7drYb2ok)](/people/romina-boccia) [Romina Boccia](/people/romina-boccia) Director of Budget and Entitlement Policy, Cato Institute [ ](https://x.com/RominaBoccia) ![Senator Bill Cassidy photo](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2024-05/bill-cassidy.jpeg?itok=fMtgPZYa) Senator Bill Cassidy (R‑LA) ![Philip Cross circle crop](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2024-03/philip-cross-circle.jpeg?itok=_Rs_rN7F) Philip Cross Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute [![Media Name: derugy.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/authors/crops/derugy.jpg?itok=rdeuOdKY)](/people/veronique-derugy) [Veronique de Rugy](/people/veronique-derugy) George Gibbs Chair in Political Economy and Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University [![Chris Edwards](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-01/Chris%20Edwards.jpg?itok=549WLrcG)](/people/chris-edwards) [Chris Edwards](/people/chris-edwards) Kilts Family Chair in Fiscal Studies, Cato Institute and Editor, Down​siz​ing​Gov​ern​ment​.org [ ](https://x.com/CatoEdwards) [ ](mailto:cedwards@cato.org) ![Jason Fichtner circle](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2024-03/jason-fichtner-circle.jpeg?itok=Bi5gOHGx) Jason Fichtner Executive Director, Retirement Income Institute [ ](https://x.com/JJFichtner) ![Rachel Greszler circle crop](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2024-03/rachel-greszler-circle.jpeg?itok=q-jdmp0s) Rachel Greszler Senior Research Fellow, Heritage Foundation ![Michael Littlewood](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2024-03/michael-littlewood-circle-new.jpeg?itok=Tcq17Cz6) Michael Littlewood Honorary Academic, Retirement Policy and Research Centre, University of Auckland ![Kristoffer Lundberg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2024-03/kristoffer-lundberg-circle.jpeg?itok=XwjbV22Y) Kristoffer Lundberg Deputy Director, Policy Analysis Unit, Swedish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs ![Andrew Moylan](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2024-04/andrew-moylan-Cropped.jpg?itok=rkIRkSng) Andrew Moylan Vice President of Public Finance, Arnold Ventures ![Martin Werdling](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2024-03/martin-werding-circle.jpeg?itok=-iLNnqiO) Martin Werding Chair, Social Policy and Public Finance, Ruhr University Bochum As we approach the 90th anniversary of the US Social Security program in 2025, and as the program’s trust fund is projected to be depleted by 2033, we find ourselves at a critical juncture. Social Security reform is essential to preserving the program’s ability to provide critical economic security to vulnerable seniors by averting indiscriminate benefit cuts, which are scheduled to occur by law when the trust fund goes to zero. Sensible reforms will ensure the program can meet this pivotal role without imposing undue debt burdens or excessive taxes on younger generations. There are further opportunities to modernize Social Security to enhance individual liberty and reduce disincentives to work and saving that undermine US economic growth. This symposium will foster insightful discussions on the various dimensions of Social Security reform. By bringing together a diverse group of US and international experts, we will explore shared challenges and identify global lessons to inform US reform options. The insights and lessons from our conversations will equip US legislators with informed perspectives, innovative solutions, and evidence-based strategies to reforming Social Security over the next decade. Breakfast and lunch will be served. ### Schedule 8:45 - 9:15 AM **Breakfast** 9:15 - 9:30 AM **Opening Remarks** **Senator Bill Cassidy** (R‑LA) 9:30 - 10:15 AM **Panel I: US Social Security and OECD Retirement Systems: A Comparison** **Andrew G. Biggs**, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute [**Romina Boccia**](https://cato.org/people/romina-boccia), Director of Budget and Entitlement Policy, Cato Institute Moderated by [**Veronique de Rugy**](https://www.cato.org/people/veronique-derugy), George Gibbs Chair in Political Economy and Senior Research Fellow, Mercatus Center 10:20 - 11:05 AM **Panel II: Lessons from the Canadian and New Zealand Pension Systems** **Philip Cross**, Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute **Michael Littlewood**, Honorary Academic and Former Co-Director, Retirement Policy and Research Centre, University of Auckland Moderated by [**Chris Edwards**](https://cato.org/people/chris-edwards), Kilts Family Chair in Fiscal Studies, Cato Institute 11:10 - 11:55 AM **Panel III: Lessons from the German and Swedish Pension Systems** **Kristoffer Lundberg**, Deputy Director, Policy Analysis Units, Swedish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs **Martin Werding**, Chair, Social Policy and Public Finance, Ruhr University Bochum Moderated by **Romina Boccia**, Director of Budget and Entitlement Policy, Cato Institute 12:00 - 1:30 PM **Lunch** 1:30 - 2:30 PM **Panel IV: Securing the Future: Rethinking US Social Security** **Jason Fichtner**, Chief Economist, Bipartisan Policy Center **Rachel Greszler**, Senior Research Fellow, Workforce and Public Finance, Roe Institute at The Heritage Foundation Moderated by **Andrew Moylan**, Vice President of Public Finance, Arnold Ventures [![Creative Commons License](/build/cato_2020/images/creative-commons.svg)](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).