Larson and Democratic Leaders Slam Republican Plan to Cut Taxes for the Wealthy, Slash Medicare and Social Security

Washington, D.C. - Today, House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member John B. Larson (CT-01) held a press conference at the U.S. Capitol with Assistant Democratic Leader Joe Neguse (CO-02) and a group of House Democrats to slam the Republican budget plan to slash Medicare and Social Security while delivering another round of tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations.

You can view the full press conference here.  

“At a time when Congress has been looking at wealth disparity, it has to look no further than its own inaction,” said Larson. “More than 50 years have passed since the United States Congress has enhanced Social Security. 10,000 baby bloomers a day become eligible for Social Security, and for more than 40% of the 70 million Americans on Social Security, it is the only retirement benefit that they have. Democrats have a plan. We’re going to make sure that there’s an across-the-board increase. We’re going to make sure that no one can retire into poverty as more than 5 million of our fellow Americans have, mostly women, who get below-poverty-level checks from their government. Our other colleagues are passing tax cuts for the wealthy. We want to make sure that those who continue to work out of necessity don’t have their Social Security taxed again. That is Democratic leadership.” 

The Republican Study Committee’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget, endorsed by 80% of House Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson, proposes raising the retirement age and $1.5 trillion in cuts to Social Security, advancing the interests of the wealthy and well connected while jeopardizing health coverage for millions and slashing the benefits working families and seniors have earned.  

Nearly 200 House Democrats, led by Ranking Member Larson, introduced the Social Security 2100 Act, to extend the program’s solvency by making the wealthy pay their fair share, preventing devastating cuts and enhancing Social Security benefits for the first time in more than 50 years. 

Larson and Neguse were joined at the press conference by New Democrat Coalition Chair Annie Kuster (NH-02), House Budget Committee Ranking Member Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Task Force on Aging & Families Chair Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), and Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (WA-07).