Preeminent Antipoverty Program for Elderly and Children

Floor Speech

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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak directly about the Nation's preeminent antipoverty program for the elderly and the Nation's preeminent antipoverty program for children. This is something that Congress and the administration need to focus on.

My colleagues can imagine how many Americans, whether they are here today or listening at home, reacted when they heard over the weekend that Elon Musk, the wealthiest man in the world, the billionaire, said that Social Security is a scam and a Ponzi scheme.

That Ponzi scheme that assists over 70 million Americans is hardly a Ponzi scheme, nor is it a scam. The real scam is to tell the American people that you need $2 trillion and assign that to a billionaire who has no accountability, did not have to go through Senate approval, is not a government employee, and isn't even a volunteer. Yet, he is placing his will on a Republican-led Congress in both the House and Senate.

All that is needed is three Republicans to stand up and say: No. Wait a minute. This is not what the Nation needs. We do not need to cut Social Security benefits. We need to enhance them.

Mr. Speaker, as my colleagues are aware, in the Speaker's district alone, there are 189,000 Social Security recipients who haven't received an increase in benefits in more than 50 years. There are 147,000 retirees, 20,000 disabled workers, 8,700 widows, 3,700 spouses, and over 9,000 children who are depending upon Congress to fulfill its responsibility and job.

Furthermore, a fact that most Members don't realize is that, in the Speaker's district in Minnesota, $325 million per month goes to those Social Security recipients. It hasn't been adjusted in more than 50 years.

It is long overdue for Congress and for the citizens of this country to demand of their Congress that they take a vote to let the people know where they stand. Members should let the people know whether they are going to stand with them and the Nation's number one antipoverty program for the elderly and children or stand with Elon Musk and Trump to make sure that $2 trillion is cut so that it can make way for further tax cuts for the Nation's wealthiest 1 percent.

At over $500 billion, I would think Mr. Musk might say: Do you know what? This is a great Nation that has provided me these great opportunities. How about we care for them the same way this Nation has cared for us?

He won't lose a moment of sleep at night. For more than 40 million Americans, Social Security is the only benefit that they have. Whether it is in Minnesota or Connecticut, they will be losing sleep over the fact that they are worried about whether or not they are going to be able to get their benefits, the thing they rely on to put food on their table and to heat and cool their homes.

This is no extravagant item that people are asking for. This is something that they have earned and paid for. Their government continues to not act and respond the way that they should do.

Mr. Speaker, we need a vote. The Speaker owes it to his people. We owe it to ours. Let's have a vote and give these individuals the Social Security benefits that they need.

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