In the News
EAST HARTFORD — A massive new memorial honoring more than 30,000 men and women who have died in military service will be installed next week on the Goodwin College campus.
The Connecticut Fallen Star Memorial depicts a half-buried, 20-foot-tall star that is surrounded by benches and three bronze life-sized statues of an old man, a young woman, and small boy. The star pays tribute to fallen soldiers and sailors, while the statues placed strategically around it honors Gold Star families, so named because they've lost a family member on a battlefield.
I'm one of the youngest Millennials, born in 1995. Every day, I work to organize young people to take back our government by electing leaders who will fight for our future instead of for corporate donors. That includes fighting to expand, never cut, Social Security's modest benefits.
Wall Street and its allies have spent decades attempting to convince my generation that Social Security won't be there for us—but that's not true. In fact, Millennials and Gen Zs will rely on our Social Security system even more than our parents and grandparents do.
EAST HARTFORD, CT — U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon said he doesn't know of any members of Congress aside from U.S. Rep. John B. Larson, who have imagined and proposed large infrastructure projects for their home states.
It is going to be a busy fall for legislators and regulators dealing with retirement policy.
Congress is to consider separate bills that reform the finances of both Social Security and struggling pension plans. Another bill that expands retirement saving options also will be on the legislative docket. Meanwhile, several states and professional groups will be working to toughen ethical standards for financial advisers.
Here's a roundup of the central issues likely to make headlines during what remains of 2019.
Kevin Johnson doesn't remember much about the day his big brother was shot in the head during a violent clash of gang members at the end of the 2008 West Indian Parade.
When Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., travels the country to talk about his plan for Social Security reform, he often holds up a Starbucks coffee cup.
The cost of that latte — about $4.50 — could also cover nine weeks of Social Security payments if you're making $50,000 per year, Larson said he points out to seniors on those visits.
When it comes to Social Security benefits, women and minorities tend to receive less money.
That means those individuals have a greater chance of retiring into poverty or grappling with financial instability if they become disabled. That also affects their families, who often receive less in dependent or survivor benefits.
Congressional Democrats took to the Hill on Wednesday promising to change that. Their message was the latest push as part of the proposed Social Security 2100 Act, led by Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.).
This morning, Representative John Larson (D-CT), Chair of the Social Security Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee, announced the introduction of the Social Security 2100 Act. He informed those in attendance and those around the country watching online that the bill has over 200 original cosponsors. That many original cosponsors is truly remarkable and underscores how important and wise the legislation is.
More than 200 House Democrats on Wednesday reintroduced legislation that would expand Social Security benefits and gradually ramp up how much workers contribute to the social insurance program.
Feeling their progressive oats after a few years in the wilderness, House Democrats on Tuesday revived a proposal to increase and expand Social Security benefits while making the program more solvent for the foreseeable future.