Washington, DC – Legendary entertainer Pat Boone, spokesman for the 60 Plus Association, announced that Representative Cliff Stearns has earned the group’s highest honor, the Guardian of Seniors’ Rights award.

In a statement released by 60 Plus, Boone remarked, “I’m still singing at concerts, but today I’m singing the praises of Representative Stearns. Seniors can depend on Representative Stearns.”  Boone, 77, and his wife, Shirley, have been married for 57 years and reside in Beverly Hills, California.

Boone is also familiar to audiences as a star of film and television. Boone has had 38 top-ten hits since his recording career began in the 1950s, and, according to Billboard magazine, holds the record for the most consecutive weeks (220) on the charts by any performer.

60 Plus Chairman Jim Martin, who founded the organization in 1992, presented the award last week at a ceremony on Capitol Hill. 60 Plus is a national non-partisan senior citizens group.

“Representative Stearns can be counted on to preserve Social Security and Medicare,” Martin said. “Stearns is a tax cutter, protecting the pocket books of senior citizens and Representative Stearns is fighting wasteful spending of our tax dollars which has our government now borrowing over 40 cents of every dollar to pay its bills. Seniors have to live within their means and so should our government.

 “As to the phony charge that Representative Stearns wants to ‘end Medicare as we know it,’ they say a lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth catches up to it. The truth is that scaring seniors is apparently in the Democrats’ ‘DNA’. Look at their record. This despicable Medi-Scare tactic has now been used for over 15 years.

“In 1996, Nancy Pelosi’s predecessor, Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-Mo), said the same thing, that Republicans were going to dismantle Medicare. But in an editorial, even the liberal leaning Washington Post said Gephardt’s charges were, and I quote, ‘bullfeathers, and Mr. Gephardt knows it.’ unquote. The Post went on to say ‘the Republican plan to save Medicare from bankruptcy is credible’ (emphasis added) and ‘Republicans are right to accuse Democrats of conducting a campaign based on distortion and fear….It is useful to them (Democrats) politically. It allows them to attack and to duck responsibility, both at the same time. We think it’s wrong.’”

Martin added, “They now run television ads showing granny being pushed over a cliff in a wheelchair. It was irresponsible then. It’s irresponsible now.  But scaring seniors with these false attacks is unfortunately in the Democrats’ ‘DNA.’ Seniors deserve better.”

The Association’s Guardian Award is presented to Democrats and Republicans in Congress based on their “senior friendly” voting records.

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The 60 Plus Association is a 20-year-old nonpartisan organization working for death tax repeal, saving Social Security and Medicare, affordable prescription drugs, lowering energy costs and other issues featuring a less government, less taxes approach as well as a strict adherence to the Constitution.  60 Plus calls on support from over 7 million activists.  60 Plus publishes a newsletter, SENIOR VOICE, and a Scorecard, bestowing awards on lawmakers of both parties who vote “pro-senior.”   60 Plus has been called, “an increasingly influential senior citizen’s group.”