McIntyre Votes To Provide $250 Check for Senior Citizens on Social Security

Rep. Mike McIntyre voted today to provide Social Security recipients with a $250 payment since otherwise there is no automatic Cost-of-Living Adjustment for senior citizens in 2011.

Congressman McIntyre stated, "I voted to support this $250 payment to senior citizens, veterans, and people with disabilities who receive Social Security to help them make ends meet during this tough time. I supported this payment for the 54 million Americans since, unfortunately, there was no increase in their monthly income. We must always honor our senior citizens who have done so much to honor and support us! Although this bill did not pass, I will keep working to do all I can to help our senior citizens."

The fiscally responsible legislation enjoyed broad support from veterans and seniors organizations, including AARP, Alliance for Retired Americans, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, the Disabled American Veterans, and Military Officers Association of America. Under the bill, the cost would be offset by some of savings included in earlier legislation that are tallied on the Pay-As-You-Go scorecard.

Similar Recovery Act payments in 2009 boosted GDP by about 0.5% in the second quarter of 2009, translating to roughly 125,000 jobs created or saved due to these payments.[Economic Policy Institute, 9/14/10]

Social Security benefit levels are modest -- only $14,000 a year for the average retiree. The median income for senior households is just $24,000, reflecting just how much Social Security means to most elderly Americans. Six in ten seniors rely on Social Security for more than half of their income, and about a third of retirees have little other than Social Security on which to live.

Source