Ranking Member Larson in the Washington Post: “Now Bipartisan – Make the Wealthy Pay into Social Security”
East Hartford, CT – House Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member John B. Larson (CT-01) penned a letter to the editor in the Washington Postapplauding Senator Elizabeth Warren’sbipartisan breakthrough on Social Security, who recently led a call with Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH) to prevent automatic benefit cuts by lifting the cap, so the wealthy pay their fair share into Social Security. Ranking Member Larson’s Social Security 2100 Act would scrap the cap to protect Social Security and enhance benefits so that no one can work all their lives and retire into poverty in the United States of America.
Larson’s letter to the editor was endorsed by a broad coalition of labor and Social Security advocates from across the country, including Jessica LaPointe, President of AFGE Council 220; and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), a member of the AFL-CIO; as well as Social Security Works, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, the Alliance for Retired Americans, and EPI Action.
Read Ranking Member Larson’s letter here:
Regarding the June 28 editorial, “How to make Social Security worse”:
Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) should be applauded for their bipartisan breakthrough. The wealthy should pay their fair share.
The recent Trustees Report highlighted the need to act. Benefit cuts are six years away. The average senior could lose $500 per month.
The Editorial Board is correct that the wealthiest would pay more; failure to act would be far worse. 1.9 million Ohioans Moreno represents would lose approximately $448 per month and Ohio communities would lose more than $850 million. Republican proposals to raise the retirement age would be a similar cut. Meanwhile, lifting the $184,500 cap affects only those earning above that, protecting working families and small businesses from paying more while protecting against benefit cuts.
Social Security keeps more than 23 million people out of poverty, including over 1 million children. Leaders with solutions to strengthen our nation’s most effective anti-poverty program shouldn’t be attacked. They should be rallied around.
Congress can protect this earned benefit and enhance it to provide children, seniors and veterans with the relief they deserve. Candidates for Congress and president cannot be allowed to avoid Social Security. They must show us their plans to strengthen it now.