Tag Archives: Social Security

“Almost a dozen Republicans — some who visibly campaigned on natural marriage — sided with Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) in tearing down the last two federal holdouts that respect state marriage laws: the social security and veterans’ administrations. Unlike other departments, these agencies have consistently recognized marriage for couples based on the state where they live — not the state …

Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed: Eleven Senate Republicans joined with all of the Democrats on Thursday night in supporting an amendment to guarantee equal Social Security and veterans benefits to married same-sex couples — even if they live in a state that does not recognize such marriages. The vote was one of many, nonbinding Senate votes of a broad range …

Via Talking Points Memo: In his fiscal 2016 budget, released Monday, President Barack Obama proposed allowing married same-sex couples to receive spousal Social Security benefits, regardless of which state they live in. Currently, married same-sex couples lose their benefits it they move to a state that does not recognize their unions. “The budget proposes to amend the Social Security Act …

JMG reader Paul Hard has received the above letter from the Social Security Administration which advises him that since he and his late husband were not married “under the laws of Alabama,” he is not eligible for federal death benefits. Last month Lambda Legal sued the federal government on behalf of a Texas widow that was told the same: SSA …

Via press release: Today Lambda Legal filed suit against the Social Security Administration (SSA) 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), arguing that denying Social Security benefits to same-sex spouses because they live in states that discriminate …

“I am pleased to announce that, effective today, Social Security is processing some widow’s and widower’s claims by surviving members of same-sex marriages and paying benefits where they are due. In addition, we are able to pay some one-time lump sum death benefit claims to surviving same-sex spouses. As I stated shortly after the Supreme Court decision on Section 3 …

Via press release from the office of Carolyn W. Colvin, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. I am pleased to announce that Social Security is now processing some retirement spouse claims for same-sex couples and paying benefits where they are due. The recent Supreme Court decision on Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, made just over a month ago, …

Via press release from the White House Office of Communications:  The President has directed the Attorney General to work with other members of his Cabinet to review the recent Supreme Court decision and determine its impact on Federal benefit programs – including benefits administered by Social Security – to ensure that we implement the decision swiftly and smoothly. We are …

Created by Think Progress.

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As expected.

(Via Pam Spaulding)

Clip description: As Congressman Paul Ryan cracked a joke about him, Tom Nielsen found himself face down on the floor being handcuffed by police. The 71-year-old retired plumber from Kenosha was thrown to the ground, placed in handcuffs, and arrested for trespassing and resisting arrest after objecting to Ryan’s plans to gut Social Security and Medicare during his congressman’s only …

While most pundits awarded last night’s debate win to Rick Perry, some predicted that his “Ponzi scheme” claim about Social Security will haunt him for a long time.

Perry is furiously backpedaling from his own book in which he calls for abolishing Social Security and Medicare.

“I don’t think our founding fathers when they were putting the term ‘general welfare’ in there were thinking about a federally operated program of pensions nor a federally operated program of health care. What they clearly said was that those were issues that the states need to address. Not the federal government. I stand very clear on that. From my …