Tag Archives: Social Security

Bloomberg News reports: The largest caucus of House Republicans called for an increase in the Social Security retirement age Wednesday, setting up a clash with President Joe Biden over spending on popular entitlement programs. The Republican Study Committee, which comprises about 80% of House Republicans, called for the Social Security eligibility age to be tied to life expectancy in its …

“What I don’t think people are acknowledging the way they should is that life expectancy in this country is declining. And so, you know, we used to think it was just gonna keep going up. I mean, it’s been a pretty steep decline. So I don’t see how you raise it [the eligibility age] if life expectancy is declining.” – …

The Hill reports: Former Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday called for “common sense” reforms to federal entitlement programs, namely Social Security and Medicare, weighing in on what is set to be a wedge issue in the 2024 presidential campaign. “If we act in this moment with the support of this generation, we can introduce common sense reforms that will …

Raw Story reports: Former Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday called to end Social Security and Medicare, and instead replace them with a “better deal” for younger Americans. During an interview on Fox News, Pence was asked about his plan for entitlements like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. “We are simply not going to reform the fiscal health of this …

Yahoo News reports: Former Vice President Mike Pence, a possible 2024 presidential candidate, has voiced support for a Social Security privatization scheme that the George W. Bush administration unsuccessfully pushed nearly two decades ago. In a closed-door event Thursday hosted by the National Association of Wholesale-Distributors, a corporate trade group, Pence said he believes that “the day could come when …

The American Independent reports: Republican Rep. Rick Allen of Georgia said that the way to handle problems with Social Security and to increase wealth is for people to work longer and retire later. Allen said that his constituents have told him that that is exactly what they want to do. “People come up to me, they actually want to work …

“I’m all for a balanced budget. We’ve got to get spending under control, but we are not going to do it on the backs of our troops and our military when at the same time we’re talking about China is the greatest threat. “We’re going to have a select committee on China. They’re tripling their nuclear arsenal. Iran is racing …

From the Social Security Administration: Approximately 70 million Americans will see a 8.7% increase in their Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments in 2023. On average, Social Security benefits will increase by more than $140 per month starting in January. Federal benefit rates increase when the cost-of-living rises, as measured by the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price …

Raw Story reports: “Probably the most outrageous lie they are telling now is I want to cut or end Social Security,” Johnson told the hosts of Fox & Friends on Sunday. “I mean, just give that a second of thought. What elected official would ever want to cut Social Security? It is absurd on its face.” “I want to save …

The Wisconsin State Journal reports: Saying programs like Social Security and Medicare suffer from improper oversight, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson on Tuesday called for turning every government program into discretionary spending programs, meaning Congress would have to allocate funding for the programs each year. Such an effort could lead to yearly battles over the programs — fights that some Republicans …

NBC News reports: Social Security survivors benefits will now be available to same-sex spouses and partners who had been denied access due to previous bans on gay marriage. The Department of Justice and the Social Security Administration on Monday announced that they dismissed appeals filed by the then-Trump administration in two class-action lawsuits related to Social Security survivors benefits for …

The Washington Post reports: President Biden on Friday fired Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul, a holdover from the Trump administration who had alienated crucial Democratic constituencies with policies designed to clamp down benefits and an uncompromising anti-union stance. Saul was fired after refusing a request to resign, White House officials said. His deputy, David Black, who was also appointed by …

From the AARP’s letter to Trump: On behalf of our 38 million members and all older Americans nationwide, we write to ask you for a more complete explanation of your recent statements suggesting elimination of the current dedicated funding for Social Security. The foundation of Social Security, for 85 years, is that workers and employers pay into the program, and …

So this just happened: Donald Trump has promised to scrap the payroll tax if he is reelected and said it could save families up to $5,000 a year. “We will be terminating the payroll tax after I hopefully get elected,” the president said on Wednesday. However, Trump insisted: “We’re not going to touch Social Security.” Just days earlier, on Saturday, …

From a statement posted last night by Joe Biden: Unable to deliver for the American people in a time of crisis, Donald Trump offered a series of half-baked measures today. He is putting Social Security at grave risk at a time when seniors are suffering the overwhelming impact of a pandemic he has failed to get under control. And make …

“This is an idea that I don’t know if the Trump administration is going to embrace, but it’s something, I think, for middle class people would be one of the best ways for every American to own stock in America. So, instead — the idea would be, you know, rather than having to send your 10% of your paycheck into …

The Washington Post reports: Citing his First Amendment rights and religious protections under the Civil Rights Act, a Social Security Administration judge in Texas who refused to watch an LGBT diversity training video is suing his superiors to avoid being fired, saying he was subject to a “religiously hostile work environment.” Judge Gary Suttles said in a complaint filed Thursday …

A draft version of the 2016 Democratic National Committee platform has been released with several new items pushed strongly by Bernie Sanders. The Hill reports: The platform explicitly calls for a $15 minimum wage, a position long espoused by Sanders. “Democrats believe that the current minimum wage is a starvation wage and must be increased to a living wage,” the …

Via press release from Lambda Legal: Today Lambda Legal announced the resolution of its lawsuit against the Social Security Administration (SSA) brought on behalf of Kathy Murphy, a Texas widow denied spousal benefits after the death of her wife, and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (the National Committee). “The Social Security Administration has finally adjusted Kathy’s …

If you are living in one of the eleven states that didn’t have same-sex marriage until the Obergefell ruling, the federal government will now retroactively offer Social Security spousal benefits. The Hill reports: Susan Sommer of Lambda Legal said the government’s decision “could right a wrong for hundreds of same-sex spouses” who lived in the 11 states that didn’t recognize …