Protect and Enhance Social Security

Floor Speech

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Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman John Larson for being the chief advocate for reforming our Social Security system. It is high time that Congress acted to preserve those benefits for people who have earned those benefits by paying into the system over their working lives.

I want to touch on another issue that concerns me with respect to Social Security, and that is that we see an increasing number of people who rely on those benefits. Since 2010, the number of individuals who rely on Social Security has increased over 21 percent. Over that same period of time, Social Security's administrative funding for basic operations has fallen by 17 percent after you account for inflation.

Those shortages--that is, more people needing services but the budget being cut--have caused a significant delay across Social Security for our most vulnerable populations, including those who are awaiting disability benefits.

I have a constituent from my district who has been working with my casework team in my district office for more than a year and a half. This individual had a stroke and applied for disability benefits with Social Security in August 2022 after becoming paralyzed. He was denied those benefits in June 2023.

He appealed his decision that same month and didn't receive a response from Social Security until November of 2023, stating that his application needed additional review. After 17 months without any form of income, his case was finally approved just this week. Americans should not have to wait this long to see these necessary earned benefits.

Instead of working with Democrats to ensure that Social Security has a better capability to serve constituents like that one, my Republican colleagues proposed devastating cuts to Social Security. Additional cuts to an agency that is already struggling with a significant backlog would be catastrophic for seniors and individuals with disabilities. After they do these budget cuts, then my Republican colleagues want to turn around and blame the staff at the Social Security Administration for not being able to handle the backlog.

Unfortunately, the story that I told about my constituent is not unique. There are countless Americans who suffer from disabilities and are unable to get their benefits in a timely manner. These Americans deserve better.

I again thank my colleague, Mr. Larson, for leading the charge on reforming the system, on holding up our end of the bargain to people who have paid into the system over their entire working lives.

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