Melanie Stansbury: “we are here today to say hands off our Social Security because Social Security is not a luxury. It is not a handout. It…”

“we are here today to say hands off our Social Security because Social Security is not a luxury. It is not a handout. It is a sacred trust, a promise that we make to Americans that the hard-earned money that they pay into the system will be there when they need it--our seniors, our children who have lost a parent, people in our communities who live with disabilities. It is the lifeline that sustains our communities, our seniors. It is a promise that they can live their lives with dignity. I am here today with my dear colleague, Congressman John Larson, to not only say hands off our Social Security but also to introduce a bill with that name. This bill will protect Social Security from an administration that is trying to systematically dismantle it. It will protect benefits. It will stop the privatization of benefits. It will stop staffing cuts and closures, protect privacy and data, and protect the proud men and women who go to work every day to serve our seniors at the Social Security Administration. Mr. Speaker, these are the American people's benefits, and we are fighting to ensure that not only are they here today and tomorrow but for future generations to come.”