00:00Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today to address a pending issue of Social Security.
00:09Madam Speaker, for you and the people in the audience, it might come as a shock that Social Security has not been adjusted in more than 54 years.
00:22What do I mean by that? Some would argue that, well, you know, Social Security was adjusted in 1982.
00:28Under Tip O'Neill and Ronald Reagan and Bob Dole.
00:34Indeed, it was addressed, but Ronald Reagan wanted to privatize Social Security.
00:40Bob Dole, a Senate Republican, said, no, this is too important a program.
00:46So they agreed that what they do is keep the program intact under the assistance of Tip O'Neill, but they raise the age.
00:56It sounds like a reasonable compromise until you realize that for every year you raise the age, that's a 7% cut in benefits.
01:07And so, in essence, back in 1982, there was a 14% cut in benefits.
01:14Today, we have a comprehensive proposal with regard to Social Security to help everybody across the board,
01:27including a 2% overall increase in Social Security.
01:31Again, something that hasn't been done since Richard Nixon was President of the United States.
01:36We also want to make sure that no one receives a below-poverty-level check from Social Security.
01:45Currently, more than 5 million of our fellow Americans, most, Madam Speaker, you'll find interesting, are women.
01:53And primarily because they were the caregivers and the providers at home and when they were in the workforce were making less than their male counterparts.
02:05No matter how you look at it, it's unfair and unjust.
02:11Social Security is the nation's number one anti-poverty program for the elderly,
02:17and it's also the number one anti-poverty program for children.
02:22And more veterans, Madam Speaker, rely on Social Security disability than they do the VA.
02:31And yet, Congress is not active.
02:35This is not anything that can be done through executive order or anything that's before the Supreme Court.
02:41What all Americans should be demanding is that their Congress not only pay attention, but act.
02:49We have a proposal that does just that.
02:53It expands coverage across the board.
02:55It makes sure that no one can retire into poverty like more than 5 million current Americans do.
03:03It also makes sure that we provide a cost of living increase, an increase that will benefit everybody.
03:12And where do they spend that money, Madam Speaker?
03:15Right back in the Congressional District that they live in.
03:18Right back into buying groceries and going to the pharmacy, paying to heat and cool their homes,
03:25paying their rent, their mortgage, and put gasoline in their automobiles.
03:29That all helps the American economy.
03:33And during this time of inflation, it is not understandable why Republican-controlled House and Senate will not take up Social Security
03:45as the main issue facing the American people, including the best step forward during these times of inflation.
03:57And so, Madam Speaker, that's why I come to the floor today to make sure that we're acting on Social Security,
04:15to make sure that all Americans understand how vital and important this is.
04:22We can no longer afford to kick this down the road.
04:27Kick the can down the road doesn't help anyone out in your district, in my district, and in the 435 districts across this nation.
04:39Quite the contrary, it will help everyone out.
04:43This is not about being a Democrat or Republican or an Independent.
04:47This is about Americans, again, demonstrating the brilliance of Franklin Delano Roosevelt
04:54and what they had in mind to get us out of the Great Depression.
04:59We're still hanging on from the recession of 2008-2009.
05:05So if people say it can't happen again, they're wrong.
05:08It can.
05:09Thank you for your support, Madam Speaker.
05:11Thank you for your support, Madam Speaker.
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