Moynihan, like all the other commissioners, favors privatizing Social Security. Bush's panel will be the third commission on which Moynihan has served that deals with Social Security and entitlements in 19 years, and his views on the national pension program have changed a lot over the years. In 1982, Moynihan stood up to what he saw as former Republican President Ronald Reagan's threats to undermine the program, and he led a commission to increase payroll taxes and raise the eligibility age. However, in 1994, Moynihan served on a panel to which former President Bill Clinton appointed him, dealing with the national old age insurance program, but Moynihan rarely attended meetings. He even declined to join other commissioners when they filed their final report, and did not send a proxy.
Oil companies favor drilling in the refuge while environmentalists want to preserve it untouched.