Larson: Don’t Cut Benefits Behind Closed Doors, Protect and Enhance Social Security for America’s Seniors Now!

Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) implored his Republican colleagues on the House Ways and Means Committee to reject the extreme cuts to Social Security they have proposed and join Democrats to protect and enhance benefits for the first time in over 50 years.

 You can watch Rep. Larson’s remarks here. 

“10,000 baby boomers a day become eligible for Social Security, and we are the committee of cognizance to address it,” said Larson. “It is an embarrassment and disgrace that in the United States Congress, we cannot address the nation’s number one anti-poverty program for the elderly and for children and are instead talking about an issue that impacts only 4% of 401k and profit-sharing plans. Democrats have a plan. We want to extend solvency. We want to enhance benefits. We want to make sure that more than 5 million fellow Americans that get below poverty level checks now get uplifted. We want to make sure that we provide 23 million Americans a tax cut. 

“And my colleagues on the other side sit in silence. Look in the mirror, ask yourself if you feel good about what you are doing to your fellow Americans, who haven’t received an enhancement in over 50 years. Don’t try to do some double secret probation committee behind closed doors where no one will get to discuss, especially the committee of cognizance, so that you can make a maneuver to cut people’s benefits. Let’s have a public discussion, the way it should be. That’s the way a democracy is supposed to work,” Larson concluded. 

Only ten days away from a government shutdown, House Republicans have yet to bring a plan to the floor to keep government open without making cuts to the programs working families and seniors rely on. Nearly every House Republican recently voted to cut Social Security Administration funding by 30% and create a closed-door, fast-track commission designed to slash Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security benefits. 

Earlier this year, Larson reintroduced the Social Security 2100 Act, legislation that would extend the program’s solvency and increase benefits across-the-board, improve the annual Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), cut taxes for 23 million beneficiaries, improve customer service at the Social Security Administration, and repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO).