Throughout the August recess, Rep. Stephanie Herseth will meet with South Dakotans to discuss the first piece of legislation she introduced in Congress:  HR 4910, “The Social Security COLA Protection Act of 2004.”  The first two scheduled meetings are for Sioux Falls and Elk Point, July 29 and 30. 

This bill would protect seniors’ retirement income from skyrocketing health care costs by ensuring that no more than 25 percent of a beneficiary’s annual COLA could be taken away by increases in Medicare premiums.  Doing so would guarantee that seniors and the disabled retain at least 75 percent of the COLA to cover price increases in other goods and services, such as food, clothing, housing and energy costs.  Nearly 100,000 South Dakotans and 27 million Americans would benefit from this legislation.

Rep. Herseth is the sole primary sponsor of the bill, which currently has nearly 80 cosponsors and is supported by the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare and the Alliance for Retired Americans and Families USA.

The first two meetings are included in Rep. Herseth’s schedule, below: 

Thursday, July 29

10:30am – 11:30am
Sioux Falls Seniors’ Roundtable to discuss The Social Security COLA Protection Act
Home of Leland and Ardis Lillehaug
1911 S. Prairie Ave

1:45pm – 2:45pm
Ribbon Cutting Celebration – Delta Connection
Sioux Falls Airport

Friday, July 30

10:15am – 11:30am
Elk Point Seniors’ Roundtable to discuss The Social Security COLA Protection Act
Cody’s Cafe, Elk Point