Mr. Speaker, I rise this early afternoon to talk about the Nation's number one antipoverty program for the elderly, the number one antipoverty program for children, and the program that provides more disability benefits to our veterans than the VA. I am talking about Social Security, Mr. Speaker. This might be news to some of the viewers in our audience and at home, but Congress has not acted to enhance Social Security in more than 53 years. Richard Nixon was the President of the United States the last time Congress acted on this much-needed benefit, the number one antipoverty program for the elderly and the number one antipoverty program for children Instead, what we find is our colleagues on the other side, the Republican Study Committee, have said that what we need to do is cut Social Security by $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years. In the process, Mr. Speaker, what they have done also is said that, yes, initially what we need to do is to raise the age of people. What they don't tell the recipients is for every year you raise the age, that is a 7 percent cut in benefits. What they have proposed is a 21 percent across-the-board cut for Social Security. My good friend Jodey Arrington is the chairman of the Budget Committee. The Budget Committee meets this week, and I hope they get to explore the myths regarding Social Security. It has nothing to do with the debt or the deficit of this country. The chief actuary will lay that out. Mr.…
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Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, let me compliment the chairman, Mr. Ferguson, and thank him for his incredible work in this area. I also thank Commissioner O'Malley, who doesn't get the credit I believe he…
Mr. Speaker, I also rise to discuss Social Security today, the Nation's number one antipoverty program for the elderly and the number one antipoverty program for children, as well. Mr. Speaker, it is dismaying to see the President's…
Let me be clear—laying off half of the workforce at the Social Security Administration and shuttering field offices will mean the delay, disruption, and denial of benefits.
Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Virginia. {time} 1700





