Protect and Enhance Social Security
Floor Speech
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, we are here this afternoon to discuss America's number one antipoverty program for the elderly and the number one antipoverty program for children. It is Social Security.
I commend my colleague from the Ways and Means Committee, Mr. Moore, for his work on the committee, but here is the issue, Mr. Speaker: This Congress that we are all a part of has not enhanced Social Security now going on 53 years. 1971 was the last time the United States Congress, which has the responsibility, enhanced Social Security for any of its recipients. Mr. Speaker, 10,000 baby boomers a day become eligible for Social Security, and since 1971, Congress has not taken any action.
I am joined by my colleagues today as we come to this floor and beseech our fellow colleagues to do one simple thing: Vote. That is our responsibility.
We have a very specific plan that we have put forward. There is also this other plan that is out there, some sort of debt commission that is going to go behind closed doors and decide what they will cut with respect to Social Security.
The American public overwhelmingly--Democrat, Republican, and Independents--all say we do not need cuts to the very essential programs that we rely on as a country. For more than 40 percent, Mr. Speaker, of all Americans, Social Security is the only pension that they have, and Congress hasn't acted in more than 53 years.
We need to enhance the program. We need to enhance it in a way that makes sure that everyone gets an across-the-board increase, especially for 5 million of our fellow Americans, mostly women, who get below- poverty-level checks from the government of the wealthiest nation in the world because Congress has not taken the time or the effort.
Who are these people? They are your brothers, your sisters, your aunts, your uncles, your neighbors, the people you go to church with.
Where does this money go? Right back into every single Member's district.
Mr. Moore of Utah has 110,000 Social Security recipients in his district. Every single Member of Congress is getting a card that tells them how many recipients they have in their district, what they receive, whether they are dependents, spouses, or disabled.
That is what we are focused on. We want a vote, Mr. Speaker, because the American people demand it. That is why I am joined here for this Special Order hour on this floor by so many of our colleagues. There are so many of us that we hope everyone will recognize their time and have consideration for their colleagues, but I will also point out the more than 350 groups across the Nation that support the Social Security 2100 Act, including the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, Social Security Works, the NAACP, the AFL-CIO, Paralyzed Veterans of America, the National Education Association, and I could go on. Instead, I am going to yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), a leader on the Subcommittee on Social Security.
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, there is no person on the committee who has fought harder for the repeal of WEP and GPO and who understands the significance and impact that Social Security has on so many of her constituents and constituents all across this country than Ms. Sanchez.
Sanchez).
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I again want to point out that both Ms. Sanchez and Ms. Moore, who will be speaking next, understand completely that Social Security is an earned benefit. It is often referred to on the other side as an entitlement. It is hardly an entitlement. Every American knows when they look at their paycheck that it says FICA. That stands for Federal Insurance Contributions Act. Whose? Yours.
Gwen Moore understands that, and that is why she has been fighting on this committee to make sure that we not only extend the solvency, but we enhance the benefits.
Imagine this, Richard Nixon was President of the United States the last time Congress enhanced any benefits to Social Security. Do you think things have changed a little bit over those years?
Every single member of the public ought to be outraged by this. It is not anything the President can do with executive order. It is not anything that is going to happen through the judiciary. It is only through the United States Congress.
What are we asking of the Congress? We are asking them to vote.
That is what Gwen Moore does every week on the committee.
Moore).
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Moore.
The gentleman from Pennsylvania has done just an incredible job on the Ways and Means Committee, again advocating on a regular basis, especially for the more than 5 million fellow Americans who get below- poverty-level checks from Social Security. We are not here just to extend the solvency of Social Security. We have a plan that the President of the United States supports, that is fully paid for. It is paid for by having people--are you ready for this?--who are making over $400,000--that is about six-tenths of 1 percent of the American people. Raise your hand in the gallery if you are making more than $400,000.
By doing just that, we will both extend the solvency and enhance the program that is fully paid for and make sure the trust fund stays intact. That is what the gentleman from Pennsylvania fights for.
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania. I, again, thank the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, Social Security Works, the Alliance for Retired Americans, the NAACP, the AFL-CIO, and AARP, which came out most recently condemning the so-called commission that is coming down the pike.
Every American should be aware of this. When they are talking about a debt commission, what they are talking about is cutting Social Security, a commission that goes behind closed doors and without public hearings decides what is going to be the future of Social Security.
Americans--Democrats, Republicans, and Independents--support Social Security and enhancing it. Nobody knows that better than Steve Horsford, who represents more than 150,000 Social Security recipients in his home State of Nevada.
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Nevada. When he spoke, I was reminded of John Lewis, our fellow colleague on the Ways and Means Committee, who said that, in fact, Social Security is the civil rights movement.
I yield to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Mrs. Trahan), someone who understands, with the birthday of Martin Luther King coming up this Monday, our celebration of that, and one of our leaders who truly understands the fierce urgency of now and what it means to have to pass Social Security for the constituents that we represent who need it the most.
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Massachusetts.
I yield to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney). Together, we have gone across the State of Connecticut as we have talked about Social Security and its importance and significance.
Nobody understands it better, especially its impact on teachers and firefighters and police officers and municipal workers who have long been prevented through WEP and GPO. Under this bill, that all changes because of his efforts.
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Connecticut.
I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the female dean of the United States Congress, who has more than 143,000 Social Security recipients in her district and has been a tireless fighter for Social Security before I even came to the United States Congress. We applaud her efforts.
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining?
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, we have 20 minutes remaining, and we have about 12 people who are sitting here, so I hope our colleagues are mindful of that.
Jackson Lee), who has more than 98,000 Social Security recipients in her district who receive more than $143 million monthly in that district, as we indicated just how vitally important Social Security is as an economic development plan as well.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from Connecticut for yielding. He is long serving and longstanding, and I have been together with Mr. Larson on this issue it has to be two decades, and I can only thank him for realizing that people will simply die--I am going to say that--without the lifeline of Social Security. He has recognized that, and that is why we are in the fight.
That is why we have to continue the fight. That is why we have to come back in the next Congress and get this done because if it is not done in this Congress--we must get it done. We must get it done.
Let me give you breaking news. Let me tell you why we are all on the floor, why there are 12 Members on the floor and there were others on the floor previously. This is a national crisis. The House Republican Study Committee, a caucus of 176 House Republican Members, has proposed multiple harsh cuts to Social Security in the fiscal year 2024 budget. Although the budget is vague on details, they will be holding--and may have held--a press conference, and reporting has come out that they intend to cut your Social Security. They intend to violate the very special sacred trust--yes, do violence to the sacred trust that from the days of President Roosevelt every American--except those, of course, that were in some of the professions of people of color that we had to fix--every American felt that they could live, that they could survive because of Social Security.
I want to thank John Larson for championing together on the Social Security 2100 Act to be able to bring about an increase of benefits of 2 percent across the board on the average for all Social Security beneficiaries for the first time in 52 years; improve the cost-of- living adjustment so it reflects inflation; increase benefits to boost lower income seniors; improve benefits for middle-income widows and widowers; restore student benefits up to age 26; increase access to benefits for children living with grandparents and other relatives; and celebrate--celebrate repealing the windfall elimination provision, which means in the government pension offset that currently penalizes public servants.
I can walk the streets of the 18th Congressional District, and when all of these hardworking public servants are saying: Have you helped me? I can say yes. We will end the 5-month waiting period.
Mr. Speaker, I am here today to join Mr. Larson in vigorous support of the Social Security 2100 Act and to be able to say that we are here because there is a crisis because there is purposeful intent to snatch Social Security from the hands of beneficiaries, including children. I want to stand with you in the passage of H.R. 2100 because I want the lifeline to continue. I want the story of President Roosevelt to continue in the hands of Americans, people of color, those who have started in life in a low income and those who may end life in a low income but have as their lifeline Social Security.
I am standing with you.
Mr. Speaker, since 1935, the Federal Government has provided Social Security coverage to the American people and kept the promise that a lifetime of work will be rewarded with the peace of mind, certainty, and a sense of stable retirement.
Social Security has transformed what it means to grow old in this country. This system allows our citizens to retire gracefully and with honor.
Social Security is the United States' most effective anti-poverty line.
Social Security keeps 22.5 million Americans, including children above the poverty line.
There are 98,576 Social Security recipients in Texas who receive $143 million in monthly benefits. 8,118 of those are children who rely on our support to go to school every day and live safe and secure lives.
In the 18th Congressional district, Social Security recipients inject more than $97 million into the local economy annually; nationwide, this figure is $775 billion.
It is Congress' responsibility to keep that promise and to fund Social Security for all Americans. Congress must also ensure the benefits keep up with Americans' expenses--today, tomorrow, and forever.
Social Security is a lifeline for many. Social Security has been a stable and secure source of income for millions of seniors and families, many of whom desperately need it.
As our population ages and increases in size, we must protect the benefits that we have become accustomed to for current Social Security recipients and all future recipients.
We must work together to strengthen and protect Social Security, which is why I am a strong supporter of H.R. 4583, the Social Security 2100 Act.
Far too often, it is overlooked the seismic impact that Social Security has had in shaping our national economy and the structure of life chances for hundreds of millions of Americans through the years.
According to the 2022 Social Security Trustees report, if Congress does not act to correct Social Security funding issues, retirees will start receiving reduced benefits starting in 2034.
Reduced benefits would force millions of Americans into poverty.
For about half of senior beneficiaries, Social Security provides a majority of their income.
These seniors have worked extensively and paid into the Social Security system like they were asked to.
They held up their end of the bargain.
Congress must ensure that we are able to hold up our end of the bargain.
H.R. 4583 would increase social security benefits, improve the Cost of Living Adjustment (COIA), ensure no one retires into poverty, and repeals provisions that currently penalize many public servants.
We must continue to support our seniors, veterans, and children who all benefit from Social Security.
I urge my colleagues to support this vital legislation.
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. I thank the gentlewoman for her continued input and support over the last several decades.
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Sure.
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. That is correct.
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. I thank the gentleman for his remarks, and I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lieu).
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, for 40 percent of all Americans on Social Security the only benefit that they receive is Social Security, and that is why the gentleman's point is so well taken.
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Wild).
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Chair, first I would appeal to your great instincts and patience and thank you for this hour, but we actually have colleagues, at least four, that are here. Over 30 showed up.
Would it be possible to yield them a minute apiece?
I would make a motion to extend the time period to provide our colleagues a minute apiece.
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Yes.
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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I move for a 1-minute speech from the remaining four Members.
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