Social Security--A Sacred Trust

Floor Speech

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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, this global pandemic has impacted every nation in the world. But here in America, as we have seen, with just over a million people who have passed, 750,000 of them are over the age of 65.

Those seniors are also the people hurt hardest by inflation, as are all the individuals who are on a fixed income. Democrats have a plan. We have a plan to address all of Americans' rising expenses that they are experiencing. We have a plan to address them today, tomorrow, and into the future. It is called Social Security.

Social Security is the Nation's number one antipoverty program for the elderly and the number one antipoverty program for children. And yet, Congress has not taken any action to expand benefits in more than 50 years. Democrats have a plan to expand benefits today, tomorrow, and forever.

The Republicans have a plan also. Their plan is to end Social Security in 5 years. It is time for us to have this debate in front of the American public, not behind closed doors and let people know where their Member stands.

Mr. Speaker, I refer you to this poster behind me. This poster demonstrates that Democrats have a plan to increase Social Security benefits. Republicans have a plan to cut benefits 20 percent across the aboard.

Democrats have a plan that will ensure that Americans are able to keep pace with inflation and rising costs. The last time Congress did anything with Social Security, a gallon of milk was 71 cents. We all know what the cost of living is today, but inaction is inexcusable.

The Republicans call for 20 separate benefit cuts to Social Security, and most importantly, say we are going to get there by raising the age. For every year you raise the age, that is a 7 percent cut in people's benefits. The idea that people would say, Well, people are living longer so we have to raise their age--imagine that. So you are living longer; the Republicans want you to live on less or work until you die.

The time of reckoning is upon us. President Biden has called Social Security a sacred trust. As you heard Mr. Ruiz say before, the concept of making sure that WEP and GPO is repealed so that teachers and firefighters and policemen can get the benefits they deserve, and also to make sure that nobody who works all their life and pays into a system. These are not entitlements, as they say in their book and in their Republican study plan. These are the benefits that people have paid for out of their pockets; working people, of all races, colors, and creed in this Nation who deserve that sacred trust, that promise that the American people know is theirs in the sacred trust that Social Security represents.

The Republicans have a plan to end Social Security in 5 years. How about you join us and expand Social Security benefits for people who need them in the midst of this pandemic, in the face of what is happening to our seniors.

The time to act is now. We don't need a double-secret probation study like they are advocating in the Senate. We need to do this out in public, with the people, demonstrating what we stand for.

Democrats stand for enhancing benefits and improving the quality of life of our seniors. You stand for cutting their benefits and ending Social Security in 5 years.

Mr. Speaker, we will have a Special Order on this topic later today.

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