On the recordJanuary 10, 2024
Mr. Speaker, I wish my constituents back home in the 21st Congressional District and Americans throughout the country a very happy new year. May it bring us good tidings and health, and may the Congress come together to solve some of the critical problems that we are facing in our Nation. Mr. Speaker, nearly 83 years ago, the first Social Security check went out. Beginning as a promise for future generations of America, it was an attempt to create a safety net; and it has. Social Security is the major source of income for the majority of people over the age of 65; that accounts for over 70 million Americans. In my 21st Congressional District, located in California's San Joaquin Valley, nearly 88,000 people depend upon this program for their basic needs: for food, for rent, for groceries. It is critical therefore that we address the issues involving Social Security. A lot has changed in our country since it was first enacted in the 1930s during the Great Depression. Americans today, those who are receiving, and those who hope to receive Social Security, fear that the future of this vital program and their benefits are at risk, and they should be. Why? Well, the long-term financial integrity of Social Security is not sustainable, and therefore, we have to fix it. Instead of fixing Social Security, many of my extreme MAGA Republicans are focused on gutting the program and cutting vital benefits. That is wrong.…





