Social Security
For more than 75 years, Social Security has been the foundation of security for American families. Social security has three different benefits: retirement benefits, disability benefits, and survivor benefits. Retirement and disability benefits go directly to workers who contribute to the fund. Survivor benefits go to children, widow/widowers and in some cases elderly parents of the deceased worker. To understand the programs, please go to the Social Security Administration’s website: http://www.ssa.gov/pgm/ssi.htm
Social Security has provided a secure retirement in the United States. Social Security is the only universal, portable, defined benefit system for American workers, and it is a program I strongly support. It is vital to preserve and strengthen Social Security, both for today’s retirees and tomorrow’s.
About 60 million people receive monthly benefits from Social Security, or 1 out of every 4 households. Over 90 percent of seniors receive Social Security benefits. The current average social security benefit for a retired worker is $1,200 a month. Although some have used scare tactics to argue that the Social Security program is in danger of going bankrupt, the truth is that Social Security is still the most secure retirement benefit for most Americans. Social Security's Trust Fund is in good shape. The reserves held in Treasury bonds are available to support beneficiaries through 2036; even after that, the payroll taxes coming into Social Security will still be sufficient to pay 75 percent of currently expected benefits. Congress will be able to take action well before 2036 to close any gap.
Social Security benefits are for both retired people and people who become disabled. There is currently a large backlog in processing appeals for Social Security disability claims. I have been working with my colleagues to address this backlog. In March 2012, I signed a letter in support of sufficient funding for the Social Security Administraton's 2013 budget, so that they can keep up with the expected rise in beneficiaries in the upcoming years.
As a member of the Ways and Means Committee in the House of Representatives, which oversees the Social Security program, I will continue to fight to strengthen Social Security. I have opposed efforts to privatize social security or cut benefits and will continue to do so.
If you need assistance with an individual Social Security issue, please see my Social Security assistance page for information or contact my District Office at (586) 498-7122 with any questions or concerns you may have.
(Updated July 24, 2012)