Statement-Congressman Joe Garcia's Statement on 79th Anniversary of Social Security

Statement

Today, marks the 79th anniversary of the enactment of the Social Security program. Signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt in in 1935, this program provides a social safety net for countless Americans throughout the United States. Since its inception, Social Security has collected roughly $15.4 trillion in contributions from American workers and has paid out approximately $14.4 trillion ($14.3 trillion in benefits and $136 billion in administrative costs) to our nation's seniors.

Congressman Garcia issued the following statement in response --

"Social Security is one of the greatest achievements in our country's history. For the last nearly eight decades, millions of people have been paying into this program with the knowledge that this vital program will provide peace of mind and a sense of security and stability, keeping them from falling into poverty when they retire. Today, more than 58 million people across the U.S. rely on Social Security for all, or part of, their earnings.

"Here in Florida, where many seniors come to retire from all around the country, more than 4 million beneficiaries receive social security helping them and their families secure benefits, allowing them to live a stable, comfortable life after they've contributed years of service to our workforce. Specifically, in my district, over 100,000 retirees receive these benefits, relying on this program for a majority of their income.

"We must continue to fight for and strengthen programs like this so that our nation's seniors may continue to have the quality of life they deserve."

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