Enhancing Social Security

Floor Speech

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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the Nation's number one antipoverty program for the elderly and the Nation's number one antipoverty program for children.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, I am talking about Social Security. More alarming, Mr. Speaker, is that it has been more than 50 years since Congress has enhanced Social Security for the citizens of this great country.

What does that mean? That means that more than 70 million Social Security recipients have not seen an enhancement to Social Security since Richard Nixon was President of the United States.

I applaud Leader Hakeem Jeffries for putting together a plan and for presenting something to the American people that stands in stark contrast to nothing being put forward.

It doesn't bother me so much that Republicans aren't putting any proposals forward, but they would deny a hearing on Social Security and a vote on a measure that Congress hasn't addressed in more than 50 years.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, there are more than 70-plus million Social Security recipients. Ten million baby boomers a day become eligible for Social Security and wonder why Congress hasn't acted.

Mr. Speaker, for more than 5 million of our fellow Americans who have paid into this system all their lives, they get below-poverty-level checks from their government because Congress hasn't acted.

Mr. Speaker, for more than 35 million people, this is the only pension they will receive, and Congress hasn't responded.

Again, I applaud Mr. Jeffries for saying, yes, what we need is an across-the-board increase for everyone on Social Security. As Mr. Jeffries has laid out, we need to repeal the provision to have people who continue to work after they retire and not have their Social Security taxed.

That is part of the Democratic plan, along with making sure that no one can retire into poverty and lifting the more than 5 million people who get below-poverty-level checks out of poverty.

Mr. Speaker, I know you know this. In Illinois' 12th Congressional District, there are more than 179,000 Social Security recipients, and more than 131,000 of them are retirees. Mr. Speaker, 21,000-plus are disabled. There are 11,000-plus widows; 4,000-plus spouses; and 10,000- plus children who haven't seen an increase in more than 50 years. It is long overdue for Congress to take action.

I plead with you, Mr. Speaker, to join us and to encourage Republican leadership minimally to have a hearing on this. If you have a better plan, Mr. Speaker, by all means, put it forward. At least let the plan that Hakeem Jeffries has put forward have a vote. If my colleagues disagree with it, that is fine. It is America. It is a democracy. Vote against it.

Why shouldn't Congress vote on making sure that Illinois' 12th Congressional District sees an increase they haven't seen in more than 50 years, as well as the First Congressional District in the State of Connecticut and all 535 congressional districts where individuals have not seen an increase, especially during these inflationary times.

For a party that used to pride itself on entrepreneurialism and capitalism, imagine this is the safety net for capitalism and entrepreneurialism. Where is the money spent in Illinois' 12th Congressional District? It is put right back in the local economy to the stores, the pharmacies, et cetera.

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