John Larson

We think that it is vitally important to make sure, especially with the solvency, that we look at this and combine both the old-age and retirement and disability together.

We think it unacceptable that our COLAs have been determined by a CPI that doesn't actually reflect what the real costs the elderly incur are.

We think it is unacceptable for many people, especially working women, that they retire into poverty.

Congress should be about the vitality of ideas.

It would cost you less than this Starbucks latte to make Social Security solvent into the next century.

We shouldn't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

What we have seen consistently is that the budget for Social Security has fallen by 10 percent since 2010.

Social Security is widely known as being the most efficient governmental program that we have.

To be seated at this dais between two iconic American heroes in Sam Johnson and John Lewis is in and of itself, I think for every member of this committee and the body in general, an honor to serve with perhaps two of the greatest…

I commend you in that area, and also for the encouragement that we are not going to be dropping out of KORUS.

You had better get rid of the barriers to our exports to you.

What are the Administration's plans with respect to the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement?

What is your plan when it comes to the enforcement of labor and environmental provisions in our future FTAs?

I know you also understand that many American workers feel that the international trade has eroded the middle-class wages and led to job loss.

We believe it is critical to ensure our businesses and our workers maintain their economic and competitive position in the international markets.

The priorities for our trade policy must be to support and help create good American jobs, grow the economy, set basic standards for our partners to live up to, improve market access, and protect the labor rights and the environment.

It is further frustrating when we continue to see cuts in the budget and quite alarming today when we have the President's budget is revealed with about a $70 billion cut in Social Security, which, to me, is unconscionable.

It seems the country, as gifted as we are with IT, this ought to be something that we ought to be able to solve rather easily.

What a credit to government service you are, and I thank you for being here today.

This is the most efficient government-operated program in the history of the Nation.

The bottom line is this: Social Security is the Nation's insurance program. It is not an entitlement.

President Trump has promised repeatedly and explicitly throughout the campaign not to cut Social Security or Medicare.

I am so proud to serve with Sam and was happy that he asked me to introduce with him the Social Security Must Avert Identity Loss, or H.R. 1513, that required the Social Security Administration to remove Social Security numbers from mailed…

When you think about Sam Johnson and his service to this country and all that he endured on behalf of this Nation, nearly beaten to death by the Viet Cong and then you think about John Lewis and all he endured in this country and nearly…

Anyone who abuses this system, a sacred trust, ought to get the ultimate penalty.