Providing for Consideration of H.J. Res. Relating to A National Emergency Declared By the President on March Providing for Consideration of H.R. Stopping Home Office Work's Unproductive Problems Act of Providing for Consideration of H.R. Pandemic is Over Act; and Providing for Consideration of H.R. Freedom for Health Care Workers Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for yielding.

Madam Speaker, first and foremost, today should be a day of celebration.

Madam Speaker, 83 years ago today, Ida Mae Fuller received the first Social Security check. It is the Nation's number one insurance program. It is the Nation's number one antipoverty program for the elderly. It is also the Nation's number one program to help children out of poverty, as well as the number one disability program, especially for veterans and those who utilize Social Security, even more so than the VA.

Looking at this proposal today, I commend the chairman for the Committee on Rules for having come up and situated because of everything we have heard from the other side. Imagine, holding the American economy hostage so you can make cuts to Social Security and Medicare, the bedrock insurance policy for the Nation; something that impacts your brothers, your sisters, your family members, people you go to church with, people you work with on a daily basis.

You have proposed both, in your study group analysis a 21 percent across-the-board cut to Social Security. That is what has got our attention.

In the midst of all of this, and especially amidst this pandemic, this global pandemic where more than 1 million people have perished here in the United States, over 756,000 are over the age of 65.

There are 66 million Social Security recipients. They are predominantly on fixed incomes and impacted the most by this pandemic and the most by inflation. So to call for 21 percent across-the-board cuts and to hold hostage the American economy is beyond the pale.

I hope all of our citizens are aware of this. We are going to continue to make everyone around the country aware of what is going to happen and the attempt to cut Social Security and Medicare.

That is what this is about, Madam Speaker. That is why I rise on this floor today.

Madam Speaker, there are 10,000 baby boomers a day who become eligible for Social Security. And Congress has done nothing to enhance Social Security in more than 51 years.

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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I appreciate the passion on this other side. I think this passion and engagement has to be brought forward to the Nation's number one insurance program. It is not an entitlement. It is an earned benefit, and the citizens of this country know it.

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