Social Security Child Protection Act of 2023

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I join in commending our colleagues, Mr. Blumenauer and Mr. Wenstrup, for their outstanding work on H.R. 3667, the Social Security Child Protection Act.

I especially acknowledge Mr. Blumenauer, who is going to be leaving the Congress, for his longstanding work in this area.

Currently, Social Security Administration policy says that in order to get a new Social Security number, the person has to show both that their number has been misused by a third party and that this misuse has resulted in harm to the number holder.

Unfortunately, we have heard from parents about their child's Social Security cards being stolen in the mail when they are first issued. From there, criminals are able to hold on to that number and use it for nefarious purposes.

Unfortunately, children who never receive their Social Security card in the mail may not realize for many years that their identity has been stolen. That is why this legislation is so critical and important.

I commend the members of the majority for bringing this forward. It is rare that we bring forward Social Security legislation, noting that Social Security is the number one antipoverty program in the country, the number one antipoverty program for the elderly, and the number one antipoverty program for children.

It also might surprise listeners who are tuning in to know that it has been 52 years since the Congress has taken any action to enhance Social Security benefits.

This is deemed a huge step forward to focus on a policy that is much needed, but more than 5 million of our fellow Americans get below poverty level checks from Social Security.

Mr. Speaker, 10,000 baby boomers a day become eligible for Social Security, and Congress hasn't even taken a vote.

It is not a lot to ask of Congress, and I hope that our distinguished colleagues--and I know many of them care deeply about this issue-- somehow find the resolve to vote on enhancing Social Security benefits. It will go well with this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Wenstrup and Mr. Blumenauer for their incredible work in this area. This bill deserves to be on the Consent Calendar. That is how important and straightforward it is.

Let us hope that our colleagues in the Senate see it in the same light and that we get something important accomplished.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, I cannot leave this floor as the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Social Security and not mention the fact that it has been 53 years since Congress has voted on anything to enhance Social Security.

That is a disgrace for both sides, Democrats and Republicans. It is a disgrace. Let's call it what it is.

Mr. Speaker, 5 million of our fellow Americans get below poverty level checks in the wealthiest Nation in the world, where billionaires stopped paying into Social Security on January 2.

Come on. In the wealthiest Nation in the world, how about we make sure that for 23 million Americans, they get a tax break?

We are willing to give corporations tax breaks left and right. How about the average working person who has paid into a system all of their lives, yet they get taxed on that? Where is the interest from my colleagues on the other side with respect to that?

Mr. Speaker, 23 million Americans who deserve a tax break can't get it, though we have a bill that is in front of them that would also recognize the teachers, firefighters, and police officers, who everyone professes to be in favor of until it comes time for them to get paid.

As our colleagues on the other side know, WEP and GPO prevent that from happening. We repealed that and made sure that these individuals get those needed benefits.

In this time of great disparity, global inflation, coming through a pandemic, and when economists have recognized the inequitable imbalance of wealth, what better way to bring balance than providing the decency of Congress just merely taking a vote?

If you disagree with it, if you have a better idea, for God's sake, put it forward, but please don't tell us about this commission behind closed doors where a select group of people without public hearings are going to determine what Social Security will be.

Social Security doesn't need a commission. It doesn't need to go behind closed doors. It needs a vote. Just like the vote we are giving to this commonsense proposal today, a vote on Social Security represents pure common sense because it assists over 70 million of your fellow Americans.

This is not Democratic or Republican. This is about your brothers, your sisters, your family, your aunts, your uncles, the people you worship and go to church with, and the people in your communities.

Speaking of communities, every community benefits. This is an enormous economic development plan because the money goes directly to the individual.

Where do those individuals spend that Social Security money? Right back in your districts. Right back in the district that these individuals live in.

It helps out the local pharmacists. It helps out the local grocery store. It helps out individuals.

This is something that should be embraced by both sides. Ironically, in the past when Social Security has been enhanced--it happened under Dwight David Eisenhower and under Mr. Nixon, as well. Since Richard Nixon was President of the United States, Social Security has not been enhanced.

Here we are, coming out of a global pandemic, coming out of global inflation, and the very individuals who need our help the most--our seniors--we won't even give them a vote.

Mr. Speaker, this is the United States Congress. We come here and represent the people of our districts. This is a benefit they not only richly need but they deserve. It is something they have earned.

This is not an entitlement, as some profess. This is an earned benefit.

Yes, for all you viewers at home, all you have to do is look at your pay stub. It says FICA, Federal Insurance Contribution Act. The Federal insurance is Social Security; the contribution is yours.

Yes, the employer also gives, but he gets a tax break for that, completely able to write it off.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Blumenauer and Mr. Wenstrup for allowing me the opportunity to come here this afternoon to address their bill but also for providing an opportunity as well because I don't think we are going to see many more coming where we will actually get to vote on Social Security benefits and enhancements for the people who we are sworn to serve.

Mr. Speaker, again, 10,000 baby boomers a day become eligible for Social Security. It has been 53 years since we last enhanced the program. More than 5 million get below poverty level checks, having paid in all their lives, and 23 million Americans are being denied a tax cut that they would otherwise receive.

Teachers and firefighters, et cetera, would see the repeal of WEP and GPO, and we can't get a vote in the Ways and Means Committee or on the floor of the Congress on this bill.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, it is a disgrace. Make no mistake, both parties share the blame, but there is no excuse for not taking a vote and putting this before the American people so they can fully appreciate it. They understand the need. They feel it every day because of the situation that they find themselves in because Congress has failed to act and failed to vote.

The fundamental thing that we are sent here to do is represent people and vote; not to vote on the most basic of issues, the Nation's number one antipoverty program for the elderly and the number one antipoverty program for the children. We have failed.

Yes, and it is paid for. It is paid for by those very billionaires who stopped paying in on January 2 to Social Security.

The guy making $35,000 to $50,000, Mr. Speaker, is paying in the whole time. The guy making $100,000 to $150,000 is paying in the whole time. Those other guys aren't.

Most people don't realize that there is a cap, and they are exempt from paying. How about we lift that cap, and they pay their fair share? How about we extend the benefits of Social Security that haven't been done in 53 years? Our fellow Americans who have paid in will get pulled up out of poverty, and future generations will know that it is there and secure for them, as it was for their parents and grandparents.

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