Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) voted for the Senior Protection Act to provide Social Security recipients with a one-time $250 payment in 2011 in lieu of a cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA). The Social Security Administration announced that there will be no automatic COLA for 2011. That means that for the first time ever, 2011 will be the second consecutive year that Social Security retirees, veterans, and people with disabilities will see no increase in their monthly Social Security, SSI, VA Pension and Compensation, and Railroad Retirement benefits. The legislation did not pass in the U.S. House of Representatives with a final vote count of 254-153 because it was considered under suspension of the rules, which requires a two-thirds majority.
"It is clear that folks are still hurting as the economy slowly recovers. Seniors in Northwest Washington need their social security benefits to make ends meet during these tough economic times," said Rep. Larsen. "I supported a one-time $250 payment for the 130,000 seniors in the 2nd District who depend on social security to cover their expenses. This benefit would also put dollars right back into the local economy as seniors use the money to buy food and pay their bills."
Social Security benefit levels are modest -- only $14,000 a year for the average retiree. The median income for senior households is just $24,000, reflecting just how much Social Security means to most elderly Americans. Six in ten seniors rely on Social Security for more than half of their income, and about a third of retirees have little other than Social Security on which to live.