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Larson Introduces Social Security Proposal to Cut Taxes for Seniors, Increase Benefits, and Strengthen Program

April 5, 2017

Washington – Today, Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01), the Ranking Member of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Social Security, introduced the ‘Social Security 2100 Act', HR 1902. This bill will cut taxes for Social Security recipients, provide a benefit bump for current and future beneficiaries, and keep the system strong for generations to come.

"Social Security is not an entitlement – it's the insurance Americans have paid for to fund retirement, disability, and survivor benefits through a lifetime of work. Seniors depend on Social Security and no one should be able retire into poverty. I am committed to taking common sense steps to expand benefits and to make the system solvent for the next 75 years and beyond. The Social Security 2100 Act, will do just that, without adding to the national debt. Social Security is the most successful program in American history, it is time to expand it for the future. This bill will secure your future, your family, and our nation." said Larson.


"Social Security, the foundation of our nation's social insurance system, is absolutely essential for workers and their families. With retirement security and other worker protections eroding, Social Security's benefits must become stronger to meet the challenges of a changing labor market. Social Security 2100 provides important provisions that protect our nation's most vulnerable," said Dr. Maya Rockeymoore, Center for/Global Policy Solutions.

"I applaud Representative Larson for his visionary leadership on the vital issue of Social Security," said Nancy Altman, President of Social Security Works. "His Social Security 2100 Act wisely responds to several challenges facing the nation. These include a looming retirement income crisis, a growing squeeze on middle class families, and rising income inequality. Among other important improvements, this landmark legislation increases benefits for all current and future beneficiaries; ensures that those who work their whole lives will not retire into poverty, and switches to a more accurate cost of living adjustment, the CPI-E, so that Social Security's modest benefits do not erode over time. The Larson bill pays for all benefit increases while restoring Social Security to long-range balance. In that way, the Social Security 2100 Act ensures that every penny of promised Social Security benefits, including the increases, can be paid in full and on time through the 21st century and beyond, just as they always have been paid."


"Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) is pleased to support the Social Security 2100 Act. Representing veterans who benefit from this vital social insurance program in some way, we are keenly aware that our members, like millions of other Americans, rely on Social Security to afford them a secure retirement, protect their survivors and dependents, or enable them to manage living with a disability with dignity. The Social Security 2100 Act demonstrates that preserving and strengthening Social Security can be done without causing harm to beneficiaries," said Carl Blake, Associate Executive Director, Paralyzed Veterans of America.

"The Social Security 2100 Act is not only for the people, it's of the people. For years, beneficiaries have been telling us they are having a difficult time paying for basic needs like healthcare, housing and utilities. Most if not all of their income is from Social Security and while they are grateful to have it, an average of $1340 a month just isn't enough. Retirees, the disabled and their surviving families desperately need a boost to their Social Security benefits. Congressman Larson's bill smartly addresses that need while also extending the program's long term solvency. We are pleased to endorse his bill and to commit the full weight of our millions of members and supporters towards getting this bill passed," said Max Richtman, President and CEO, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare.

"The Social Security 2100 Act will make our Social Security system stronger for all Americans, including the over 57 million children, adults, and seniors who live with disabilities across the United States. The Arc applauds Representative Larson and cosponsors for their leadership in introducing a bill that will boost the economic security of workers and their families and extend Social Security's solvency, to preserve the promise and impact of this incredibly important system to all Americans," said Marty Ford, Senior Executive Officer for Public Policy, The Arc of the United States.


"Millions of older adults, people with disabilities, and their families rely on Social Security to ensure their basic needs for shelter, food, and other requirements are met. The Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Social Security Task Force supports Representative Larson's bill, which would expand benefits, including minimum benefits for low-income workers, to guarantee that those who rely on Social Security can make ends meet, while also increasing the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund," said Kate Lang of Justice in Aging, a co-chair of the CCD Social Security Task Force.

The Social Security 2100 Act, H.R. 1902, provides the following:

-Tax cut for over 10 million Social Security recipients by raising the threshold on taxation of benefits

-Benefit bump beginning in 2018 for current and new beneficiaries

-Protection for low income workers by raising the minimum benefit from below the poverty line to 25% above

-Long term protection against inflation for cost of living adjustments (COLA) by adopting the CPI-E formula

Social Security remains the single most reliable program for middle class Americans and is expected to pay full benefits over the next two decades. With common sense steps like those in the Social Security 2100 Act, Congress can boost this vital program now and ensure Social Security remains strong well into the future. Current cosponsors of the Social Security 2100 Act include:

1. Alma Adams

2. Pete Aguilar

3. Nanette Barragán

4. Karen Bass

5. Joyce Beatty

6. Ami Bera

7. Donald Beyer

8. Sanford Bishop

9. Earl Blumenauer

10. Lisa Blunt Rochester

11. Suzanne Bonamici

12. Brendan Boyle

13. Robert Brady

14. G.K Butterfield

15. Michael Capuano

16. Salud Carbajal

17. Tony Cárdenas

18. André Carson

19. Matt Cartwright

20. Kathy Castor

21. Joaquin Castro

22. Judy Chu

23. David Cicilline

24. Katherine Clark

25. Yvette Clarke

26. Wm. Lacy Clay

27. Emanuel Cleaver

28. James Clyburn

29. Steve Cohen

30. Gerald Connolly

31. John Conyers

32. J. Luis Correa

33. Joe Courtney

34. Joseph Crowley

35. Henry Cuellar

36. Elijah Cummings

37. Danny Davis

38. Peter DeFazio

39. Rosa DeLauro

40. Suzan DelBene

41. Val Demings

42. Mark DeSaulnier

43. Theodore Deutch

44. Debbie Dingell

45. Lloyd Doggett

46. Michael Doyle

47. Keith Ellison

48. Eliot Engel

49. Anna Eshoo

50. Elizabeth Esty

51. Dwight Evans

52. Lois Frankel

53. Marcia Fudge

54. Tulsi Gabbard

55. Ruben Gallego

56. John Garamendi

57. Vicente Gonzalez

58. Al Green

59. Gene Green

60. Raúl Grijalva

61. Luis Gutiérrez

62. Colleen Hanabusa

63. Alcee Hastings

64. Denny Heck

65. Brian Higgins

66. Jared Huffman

67. Sheila Jackson Lee

68. Pramila Jayapal

69. Hakeem Jeffries

70. Eddie Bernice Johnson

71. Hank Johnson

72. Marcy Kaptur

73. William Keating

74. Robin Kelly

75. Joseph Kennedy

76. Ro Khanna

77. Ruben Kihuen

78. Daniel Kildee

79. Derek Kilmer

80. Ann Kuster

81. James Langevin

82. Brenda Lawrence

83. Al Lawson

84. Barbara Lee

85. Sandy Levin

86. John Lewis

87. Ted Lieu

88. Zoe Lofgren

89. Alan Lowenthal

90. Ben Ray Luján

91. Michelle Lujan Grisham

92. Stephen Lynch

93. Sean Patrick Maloney

94. Doris Matsui

95. Betty McCollum

96. Don McEachin

97. James McGovern

98. Jerry McNerney

99. Gregory Meeks

100. Grace Meng

101. Gwen Moore

102. Seth Moulton

103. Jerrold Nadler

104. Grace Napolitano

105. Richard Neal

106. Richard Nolan

107. Donald Norcross

108. Eleanor Holmes Norton

109. Beto O'Rourke

110. Frank Pallone

111. Jimmy Panetta

112. Bill Pascrell

113. Donald Payne

114. Ed Perlmutter

115. Collin Peterson

116. Chellie Pingree

117. Stacey Plaskett

118. Mark Pocan

119. Mike Quigley

120. Jamie Raskin

121. Cedric Richmond

122. Lucille Roybal-Allard

123. Raul Ruiz

124. Dutch Ruppersberger

125. Bobby Rush

126. Tim Ryan

127. Linda Sánchez

128. John Sarbanes

129. Janice Schakowsky

130. Bobby Scott

131. David Scott

132. José Serrano

133. Terri Sewell

134. Carol Shea-Porter

135. Brad Sherman

136. Albio Sires

137. Louise Slaughter

138. Jackie Speier

139. Thomas R Suozzi

140. Eric Swalwell

141. Mark Takano

142. Mike Thompson

143. Bennie Thompson

144. Dina Titus

145. Paul Tonko

146. Juan Vargas

147. Marc Veasey

148. Filemon Vela

149. Nydia Velázquez

150. Timothy Walz

151. Debbie Wasserman Schultz

152. Maxine Waters

153. Bonnie Watson Coleman

154. Peter Welch

155. Frederica Wilson

156. John Yarmuth

Additional quotes, a fact sheet, endorsements, bill language and more are available online here: /social-security-2100

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