Home California Harris Joins Colleagues to Introduce Bill to Expand Social Security

Harris Joins Colleagues to Introduce Bill to Expand Social Security

by ECT

WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) joined her colleagues to introduce legislation to expand Social Security benefits and strengthen the retirement program for generations to come. The legislation would increase benefits by about $1,342 a year for seniors now making less than $16,000 annually and increase cost-of-living adjustments by more accurately measuring the spending patterns of seniors.

“In the richest nation in the world, it is a travesty that so many Americans are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living,” said Harris. “Over the past two years, this administration has been more focused on cutting taxes for the top one percent than making sure families can make ends meet. We need to expand Social Security and provide our seniors and other beneficiaries of this vital program with greater dignity and peace of mind.”

Social Security is one of the most popular and successful government programs. Before Social Security was created in 1935, about half of America’s seniors were living in poverty. Today the senior poverty rate is just 8.8 percent. Yet, despite this success, one out of every five seniors are trying to survive on an income of less than $13,500 a year and about half of Americans 55 and older have zero retirement savings.

The bill would ensure that Social Security could pay every benefit owed to every eligible American for the next 52 years, according to the retirement system’s chief actuary. It would extend the program’s solvency by making the wealthiest 1.8 percent of Americans – those with incomes of more than $250,000 a year – pay the same rate into the retirement system as everyone else already pays. Current law caps the amount of income subject to payroll taxes at $132,900.

In addition to Senator Harris, the bill is cosponsored by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR).

For a summary of the bill, click here.

 

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9 comments

Ray Feb 13, 2019 - 4:10 pm

ECT continues the love affair with Harris!
I guess you want the socialist “Green New Deal” too.
She got her start under Willie Brown’s desk!

Grow up Feb 13, 2019 - 8:21 pm

Grow up ray boy

Henry Feb 13, 2019 - 8:51 pm

Trump got his start under his dads desk.

Ray Feb 14, 2019 - 9:12 am

Grow up;
Did I hurt your feelings snowflake?

Jg Feb 15, 2019 - 9:18 am

And now we know why socialism will never work. 20 trillion in giveaways debt. With Harris it will be 30 trillion and we will be all living the good life while no one is working and the government pays for everything with Monopoly money. Go green and that will solve everything say the leftist. Talk about dreamers.

Vicki Feb 16, 2019 - 11:13 pm

This is what novice congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is promulgating. Pay people who can’t work or refuse to work. Then, she wants free housing, no college tuition, free medical and dental care, no cars, no planes, no ships, no trains, take down buildings and, most of all, she wants to mount a war on COWS for flatulence and to force everyone here to become a vegetarian.

gloria Feb 19, 2019 - 12:51 am

Vicki, just look at who elected AOC to represent them. Losers who can never get nor keep a job, who are on the government dole from one generation to another, who think the world owes them a living. She knew how to push their buttons.

Antioch-Pittsburg Highway Feb 19, 2019 - 5:08 am

Fuzzy math: How does taxing the 1.8% Americans make Social Security solvent for the next 52 years? The few years I was making over the Social Security limit I was jumping up and down for the SS tax man stopped knocking on my door for a couple of weeks!

Dirty Harry Feb 20, 2019 - 10:12 pm

In addition to Senator Harris, the bill is cosponsored by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR). What the Hell does that tell you? Enough said! People, don’t trust this woman, you’ll be sorry.

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