'Why Don't We Vote On It?': John Larson Calls GOP Out Over Social Security Rhetoric

I also arrived today Mr Speaker to talk about the 88th birthday of Social Security that will take place on August the 14th and we're calling upon members all across this nation joined by great groups like The National Committee to preserve and protect Social Security Social Security works the AFL-CIO and the list goes on but please save the date as a day to action a day to action because Congress hasn't taken any action in fact it might interest people in the gallery to know that Congress hasn't done anything to enhance Social Security in more than 52 years and here we find ourselves in the midst of a pandemic a pandemic that in this country has impacted people over the age of 65 more severely than any other group slightly over a million people have perished over 856 thousand are over the age of 65. those same individuals are the ones that because of global inflation have found themselves in the situation as people on fixed incomes often do that they are the ones that are most severely hurt and so as Reverend king would say the fierce urgency of now is upon the United States Congress and what are we asking the United States Congress to do vote how hard is that whether it's in the United States Senate or whether it's in the House of Representatives everybody claims how much they respect and love and admire Social Security if that's true then why don't we vote on it it hasn't been enhanced in 52 years the last time something was done in 1983 Ronald Reagan was President Bob Dole ran the United States Senate and Tip O'Neill was speaker of the house and they extended Social Security at that time insolvency but they didn't do anything to enhance the program I dare say that things have changed a lot since Richard Nixon was president in terms of the cost of procuring goods and services in this country and yet we have not done anything as a Congress to enhance the benefit of the more than 66 million people who are on Social Security that number will exceed 70 million within a year and a half 70 million of our fellow Americans and here's the real deal five million of them get below poverty level checks from their government having worked all their lives paid into a system to get an earned benefit and find themselves getting a below poverty level check because the United States Congress has not acted on their behalf 23 million fellow Americans get taxed on their work in their job for what they're doing and they shouldn't be that tax should be eliminated there needs to be an across-the-board increase for all Social Security represent recipients that's why we call attention to this day of action the day of action that's needed most though is by the United States Congress and for us to act bipartisanly across the board and make sure that that people are getting the benefits that they've richly earned 10 000 Baby Boomers A Day become eligible for Social Security and still Congress does not act America rise up Prevail upon your members of Congress to act and by act I mean vote vote to bring Social Security 2100 to the floor for a vote vote in the Senate to bring those bills to forward if you've got a better idea if you've got a better plan lay it out there for the public to see but for God's sake vote on it for the sake of the American people the American people deserve more from their Congress than lip service they need action the gentleman's time has expired The General

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Length: 4min 48sec (288 seconds)

Published: Sat Jul 29 2023