Social Security Reform

Floor Speech

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Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to address a pertinent issue for all Americans, that being Social Security.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, it has been more than 50-plus years since Congress, the only body that can, has taken action to enhance Social Security.

What becomes even more confounding, Mr. Speaker, is that with 10,000 baby boomers a day becoming eligible for Social Security, Congress has not acted to enhance this program.

I was talking to my good friend, Jodey Arrington, the other day, and reminded him that in his district in Texas, for example, he has 128,000 Social Security recipients, and 90,000 retirees, 9,000 children, almost 10,000 widows, 4,679 spouses, and 14,000-plus disabled workers. They haven't received a benefit enhancement in more than 50 years.

Moreover, Social Security has nothing to do with the debt or deficit. It is an earned benefit. It is fully paid for, and the increases that we are calling for, well, the President said it best, we are going to pay for those by lifting the cap on $400,000.

You could have people in the audience, for example, raise their hand if they are making more than $400,000. I doubt that you would find anybody. It is about six-tenths of 1 percent, but most people are astounded to learn that there is a cap, and they haven't paid anything into the system, a system that all Americans pay into.

For example, Mr. Speaker, in Tennessee's Eighth District, 189,000 of your citizens receive Social Security benefits, and 136,000 of them are retirees, 25,000 disabled people, 4,000 spouses, and the list goes on.

Here is the most important thing: Your district gets $330 million monthly. That goes into your district.

I say this to my colleagues and good friends on the other side of the aisle who are always talking about economic development: What better economic development tool is there than for your citizens to get payments?

Nobody gets wealthy on Social Security. They haven't had an increase in more than 50 years.

This money would go right back into my colleagues' districts and be spent at the local grocery store, at the pharmacy, at the dry cleaners, to pay for rent or a mortgage, or to put gas in an automobile. The money all comes back, but Congress hasn't acted in over 50 years.

Mr. Arrington at least says this about Social Security 2100, the bill that we have put forward: It enhances benefits across the board by 2 percent and repeals WEP and GPO.

Do you realize, Mr. Speaker, that there are more than 23 million Americans who pay taxes on their Social Security? My colleagues are quick to make sure that there is tax relief for billionaires. How about for people who are actually working for a living and then have to pay double taxation on their Social Security? Twenty-three million Americans.

There are 5 million Americans who get below-poverty-level checks from the Federal Government, from Social Security, even though they have paid in all their quarters. Why? Because Congress hasn't taken action, the only body that can. The President can't do this through executive order. The Supreme Court isn't going to act. We need to act on a bill.

As Representative Arrington says: Well, I don't agree with Larson.

I said: What don't you agree with? If you have a better idea, put it forward.

At least he is honest enough to say they don't have a plan, that they haven't written anything down on paper.

The American people not only need a plan, but what they need is help and relief. In this time of global inflation, in this time that is coming, it is long overdue for Congress to act.

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