Social Security
The issue of social security is important to our district and my work in Congress.
Recently I had the great fortune to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Social Security at the U.S. Capitol. When President Roosevelt signed the groundbreaking Social Security Act into law in 1935, he made history as the first American President to advocate for the protection of the elderly. Now, 75 years later, this essential legislation is still performing its historic mission allowing hardworking Americans to depend on benefits that have reliably arrived on-time and in-full.
Americans are living longer, positioning retirement security at the forefront of issues of importance in the 21st Century. Reports from the U.S. Census indicate that nationwide, Social Security benefits lift nearly 13 million seniors age 65 and older above the poverty line. I am proud to work in a Congress where, under Democratic leadership, ideas jeopardizing federal Social Security benefits through any sort of privatization effort are off the table.
The Center of Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) reports that while Social Security's trust fund faces a significant long-term funding shortfall, it will be able to pay full benefits until 2041 and about 75 percent of promised benefits after that. In fact, the Social Security shortfall over the next 75 years is about one-third as big as the cost of extending the Bush Administration's tax cuts during the same period.
Social Security is more than just a retirement program. CBPP reports that of the 48 million beneficiaries in July 2005, 6.6 million received survivor's benefits and 8.2 million received disability benefits. In total, 10.3 million adults below the age of 65 and 3.9 million children received Social Security benefits, helping to lift one million of these children above the poverty line.
In the state of Tennessee, 265,000 seniors are lifted out of poverty by Social Security benefits. It is important that Congress continue working to build upon the success of this program so that it can continue to provide benefits for future generations.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included a one-time payment of $250 to retirees, disabled individuals and SSI recipients receiving benefits from the Social Security Administration, Railroad Retirement beneficiaries and disabled veterans receiving benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. To date, the state of Tennessee has received nearly $12.5 million in Social Security payments.
For three-quarters of a century and through 13 recessions, Social Security has provided much needed support for millions of Americans. As a member of Congress, I take the responsibility of safeguarding Social Security seriously and work diligently to do so. Presently, I have introduced and am supporting numerous pieces of legislation that would encourage working families to build or maintain a nest-egg to help ensure seniors are able to reap the full benefits of a lifetime of work and service:
H.R. 870 , the Medicare Medically Necessary Dental Care Act of 2009
I was proud to introduce this essential measure which would amend the Social Security Act to provide for coverage under part B for medically necessary dental procedures in conjunction with treatment of patients requiring prosthetic heart valve replacement and organ transplantation or the diagnosis of cancer of the head or neck, lymphoma, and leukemia.
According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), "More than one-third of people treated for cancer develop complications that affect the mouth. These problems may interfere with cancer treatment and diminish the patient's quality of life." For example, head and neck radiation and chemotherapy can cause oral complications including infections. A simple infection in the mouth can often lead to a full-blown bodily infection that can put a life at risk and even lead to organ rejection. This legislation will ensure that many Medicare patients get the dental care they desperately need.
H.R. 3590, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and H.R. 4872, Health Care & Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010
I was proud to support these bills which together comprise President Obama's historic health care reform package. The reforms contained within this groundbreaking legislation will dramatically improve the system for the better. As a result of the health care reform, Social Security revenues will increase and health care costs will decrease, making the legislation a win-win for American seniors.
H.R. 684 , Medicare Prescription Drug Savings and Choice Act of 2009
Amends part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to provide for the establishment of one or more Medicare operated prescription drug plan options and an appeals process for denials of benefits under a Medicare operated prescription drug plan. This will provide meaningful benefits through a lower prescription drug prices under the Medicare Program.
H.R. 1723 , Family Leave Insurance Act of 2009
This important legislation directs the Secretary of Labor to establish a Family and Medical Insurance Program that would be mandatory for certain covered employers.
H.R. 235, Social Security Fairness Act of 2009
Amends title II of the Social Security Act to repeal the government pension offset and windfall elimination provisions.
H.R. 2006, Elder Justice Act
Enhances the social security of the nation by ensuring adequate public-private infrastructure and to resolve to prevent, detect, treat, intervene in and prosecute elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Americans are living longer, positioning retirement security at the forefront of issues of importance in the 21st Century. Reports from the U.S. Census indicate that nationwide, Social Security benefits lift nearly 13 million seniors age 65 and older above the poverty line. I am proud to work in a Congress where, under Democratic leadership, ideas jeopardizing federal Social Security benefits through any sort of privatization effort are off the table.
The Center of Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) reports that while Social Security’s trust fund faces a significant long-term funding shortfall, it will be able to pay full benefits until 2041 and about 75 percent of promised benefits after that. In fact, the Social Security shortfall over the next 75 years is about one-third as big as the cost of extending the current administration’s tax cuts during the same period.
Social Security is more than just a retirement program. CBPP reports that of the 48 million beneficiaries in July 2005, 6.6 million received survivor’s benefits and 8.2 million received disability benefits. In total, 10.3 million adults below the age of 65 and 3.9 million children received Social Security benefits, helping to lift one million of these children above the poverty line.
In the state of Tennessee, 265,000 seniors are lifted out of poverty by Social Security benefits. It is important that Congress continue working to build upon the success of this program so that it can continue to provide benefits for future generations.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included a one-time payment of $250 to retirees, disabled individuals and SSI recipients receiving benefits from the Social Security Administration, Railroad Retirement beneficiaries and disabled veterans receiving benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. To date, the state of Tennessee has received nearly $12.5 million in Social Security payments.
In Congress, I am supporting numerous pieces of legislation that would encourage working families to build or maintain a nest-egg to help ensure seniors are able to reap the full benefits of a lifetime of work and service:
H.R. 235, Social Security Fairness Act of 2009
Amends title II of the Social Security Act to repeal the government pension offset and windfall elimination provisions.
H.R. 2006, Elder Justice Act
Enhances the social security of the nation by ensuring adequate public-private infrastructure and to resolve to prevent, detect, treat, intervene in and prosecute elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.
During the 110th Congress, I supported:
H.R. 82,Social Security Fairness Act of 2007
Amends title II of the Social Security Act to repeal the Government pension offset and windfall elimination provisions.
H.R. 368, Notch Fairness Act of 2007
Amends title II of the Social Security Act to allow workers who attain age 65 after 1981 and before 1992 to choose either lump sum payments over four years totaling $5,000 or an improved benefit computation formula under a new 10-year rule governing the transition to the changes in benefit computation rules enacted in the Social Security Amendments of 1977.
H.R. 531, Retirement Security Education Act
Establishes a grant program to enhance the financial and retirement literacy of mid-life and older Americans and to reduce financial abuse and fraud among such Americans.
H.R. 1380, Social Security Benefits Fairness Act of 2007
Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to provide that, if an OASDI recipient dies during the first 15 days of a month, the last payment of the monthly benefit for that month shall be half the usual benefit amount.
H.R. 1428, National and Guard Reserve Retirement Modification Act
Reduces the eligibility age for receipt of non-regular military service retired pay for members of the Ready Reserve in active federal status or on active duty for significant periods.
H.R. 1514, Savings for Working Families Act
Allows certain low-income individuals between age 18 and 61 to establish tax-exempt individual development accounts (IDAs) to pay for certain qualified expenses, including education expenses, first-time homebuyer costs, and business capitalization or expansion costs.