Ongoing Social Security Issues

Floor Speech

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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, it is great to be here this morning, and I rise to discuss the ongoing issue of Social Security.

As you know, Mr. Speaker, more than 70 million Americans rely on Social Security, and Social Security is the Nation's number one antipoverty program for the elderly and the number one antipoverty program for children.

It also, Mr. Speaker, is the number one program with regard to disability, and more veterans rely on Social Security disability than they do on the VA.

Mr. Speaker, I know that Speaker Houchin was in the chair before, and part of our rising to speak about Social Security is to make people aware in their districts of how many retirees they actually have.

For example, in New York's 19th, you have 173,667 recipients. More than $300 million comes into the 17th District in New York monthly for those recipients; 130,000 of which are retirees, 20,000 disabled workers, 8,900 widows, 4,247 spouses, and almost 10,000 children.

What is astounding, Mr. Speaker, is that Congress has done nothing. In fact, what will shock the public is that Congress has not extended the benefits of Social Security in more than 50 years.

Richard Nixon was President of the United States when Congress last acted. Imagine 10,000 baby boomers a day becoming eligible for Social Security. Yet, Congress has done nothing.

More than 70 million Americans rely on Social Security, again, the Nation's number one antipoverty program for the elderly and the number one antipoverty program for children.

Congress continues not to do what our constituents send us here to do; vote. President Biden has put out a plan. We have put out a plan called Social Security 2100 that is detailed and paid for.

This might also surprise you, too, Mr. Speaker, as I know it does many citizens, that the President's called to lift the cap on people making over $400,000 who pay nothing into Social Security.

Imagine the workers, the more than 170,000 in your district who pay in to Social Security and have done so all throughout their lives, and yet, others pay nothing for the Nation's number one antipoverty program. That is why this is so important that Congress take action and step up and do the right thing.

With $300 million coming into New York's 17th District, Mr. Speaker, those are dollars that are spent locally right back in the community.

For all people listening to C-SPAN or people that are guests in our audience, Mr. Speaker, they should be making sure that they are calling their Representatives and making them aware of the fact that this program has not been enhanced.

This is no entitlement. This is an earned benefit that people have paid for and that only the United States Congress can act to change so that these individuals will get relief.

Imagine a cost-of-living increase that hasn't been enhanced in over 50 years. I hope that the American people, and more importantly, this Congress acts on behalf of the people that desperately need our help.

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