Larson Outlines Plan to Save Social Security

For more than two decades in Washington, D.C., East Hartford Congressman John B. Larson has been harping on the need to protect the Social Security system, or as he likes to say, America’s best insurance policy.  

On Friday at the East Hartford Senior center, facing down a lineup of senior citizens, one might think he was preaching to the choir. 

But the mostly friendly and receptive group was peppered with disgruntled elders.  

“What about reducing welfare? Illegals pouring into the country?”, groused one man who leafed through a boating catalogue as Larson explained his bill, Social Security 2100, legislation he has tried to hammer through his colleagues for the past two decades.  

The latest iteration calls for taking the cap off paying into Social Security for anyone earning more than $400,000, “the six-tenths of one percent” which would ensure Social Security could remain solvent through the year 2066. Larson claims President Biden is on board with the plan, but Republicans insist on a story called the “Deficit Reduction Study Act.” The study panel would be made up of 12 appointed Congressmen – three from each party in the Senate, and three from each party in the House of Representatives, plus three non-voting government officials, who would meet behind closed doors and vote out a majority Social Security reform bill that would be non-amendable on the House or Senate floor.  

“It comes down to giving 7 members – out of the 535 that make up Congress – the power to change Social Security for everyone,” Larson, who sits as the chairman of the House Social Security subcommittee explained. “That goes against open government, and frankly it is unconstitutional.” 

The audience who was gathered at the East Hartford Senior Center suggested Congress stop taxing their benefits, complaining that inflation has eroded what little payments Social Security provides at the grocery store and elsewhere.  

“Food costs are going up and up,” one older woman complained. “The small amount I am eligible for disappears quick.” 

Larson was sympathetic. He noted that all Connecticut’s elected representatives in Washington support his Social Security reform bill, but Republicans want the study to hide their effort to raise the retirement age to 70, which would save 20 percent of the cost for the program which has not seen any changes since the Nixon administration in 1971. 

“President Biden called it a death panel, and I agree. It is a proposal designed to protect anyone from taking the blame for cutting Social Security benefits. Everyone wants to say they are there to protect Social Security and this gets them to vote to reduce it while saying there is nothing they can do, it was the study.” 

Larson gave credit to Donald Trump. 

“In his remarks about Nicky Haley Trump said he would never cut Social Security. He pointed out that she is in favor of this study panel.” 

The Social Security 2100 bill also would end a municipal and public employee exclusion from the system, put a minimum threshold on Social Security of 125 percent of the poverty line. 

“I was in insurance. Aetna taught us that there are three legs of retirement: Income, assets and Social Security. Well, two of those three legs can go away, but Social Security has never missed a payment.” 

Larson sees it as his charge in Congress to protect Social Security, and enhance the benefits of President Roosevelt’s program.  

“Social Security is the best anti-poverty program there is,” he explained. “Without it, what happens to the elderly? For Forty percent, this is their only income. What happens to children? FDIC is an insurance program, it is not welfare. Eisenhower and Nixon both agreed it ought to be funded. If Social Security goes away, more would be on welfare.  

With Rep. Larson’s support, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act to strengthen Medicare and lower prescription drug costs.  

Last year, Larson reintroduced the Social Security 2100 Act with nearly 200 of his Democratic colleagues to extend the program’s solvency an increase benefits across the board. 

Nearly every House Republican recently offered a budget plan to raise the retirement age to 69 and voted to cut Social Security Administration funding by 30% and create a closed-door, fast-track commission designed to slash Social Security benefits.  

This week, on Wednesday, Larson voted against Republican legislation that claims to address border security and improve Social Security. 

The biggest fraud with regard to Social Security is the fact Congress has not taken any action to enhance the program in more than 50 years,” said Larson. “With 10,000 baby boomers a day becoming eligible, there is a glaring need to extend the program’s solvency and improve benefits. Democrats have put forward real solutions in our Social Security 2100 Act to extend solvency and enhance benefits, yet my Republican colleagues refuse to hold a vote and are instead advancing a fast-track commission to cut benefits behind closed doors. The facts are clear: undocumented immigrants are not currently eligible for Social Security benefits, and it is already a deportable offense for a non-citizen to commit Social Security fraud. We should be acting on Social Security, rather than passing redundant messaging bills that fail to address the issues they claim to solve.”