BOYLE: “88 years later, Republicans are still trying to rip away Americans’ hard-earned Social Security benefits.”
WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Brendan F. Boyle, Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, released the following statement on the 88th anniversary of the Social Security Act, whose bedrock benefits would be cut for over 256 million Americans under Republican budget proposals.
"88 years ago, President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law and made a sacred promise to American workers that they have the right to retire with dignity," said Ranking Member Boyle. "And 88 years later, Republicans are still trying to rip away Americans' hard-earned Social Security benefits. They might hope the American people don't notice, but their shameless admissions and their detailed plans to gut Social Security benefits make their true intentions perfectly clear."
"Democrats will not allow that to happen. We've introduced legislation, like my Medicare and Social Security Fair Share Act, that will ensure Social Security's solvency indefinitely by finally making the wealthy contribute their fair share. While Republicans continue their crusade against Social Security, House Democrats are committed to strengthening Americans' retirement security and keeping this sacred promise for generations to come."
Republicans have repeatedly pushed to cut, privatize, or even end Social Security:
Speaker McCarthy, Leader Scalise, and 130 other House Republicans voted to raise the Social Security retirement age to 70 in 2015.
In May, Speaker McCarthy complained that President Biden had prevented him from using the debt ceiling to force cuts to Social Security and Medicare, and called for cuts to both programs.
Senator Mike Lee said: "One thing that you probably haven't ever heard from a politician: it will be my objective to phase out Social Security. To pull it up by the roots, and get rid of it."
Senator John Thune argued that Social Security and Medicare benefits should be cut.
Senator Rick Scott championed a plan to put Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security on the chopping block every five years, putting the economic security of 65 million Social Security beneficiaries at risk.
Despite overwhelming opposition from the American people, House Republicans put forward a budget proposal that would cut Social Security benefits for more than 256 million Americans.
The Republican Study Committee, which represents nearly 80 percent of House Republicans, released their 2024 budget proposal which called for raising the Social Security retirement age, forcing Americans to work longer for less.
In the same budget, Republicans outline a total of $5 trillion in tax cuts skewed to the wealthy and corporations, cutting taxes by at least $175,000 a year for the wealthiest 0.1% of Americans.
State-by-state analysis from House Budget Committee Democrats shows that raising the retirement age would harm and shrink benefits for millions of people across the United States:
| State | People Facing Benefit Cuts | Percent of Population |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 3,810,000 | 76% |
| Alaska | 590,000 | 80% |
| Arizona | 5,490,000 | 75% |
| Arkansas | 2,310,000 | 76% |
| California | 30,950,000 | 79% |
| Colorado | 4,570,000 | 79% |
| Connecticut | 2,690,000 | 75% |
| Delaware | 730,000 | 72% |
| District of Columbia | 550,000 | 82% |
| Florida | 15,670,000 | 72% |
| Georgia | 8,560,000 | 79% |
| Hawaii | 1,070,000 | 74% |
| Idaho | 1,470,000 | 77% |
| Illinois | 9,740,000 | 77% |
| Indiana | 5,240,000 | 77% |
| Iowa | 2,410,000 | 75% |
| Kansas | 2,250,000 | 77% |
| Kentucky | 3,440,000 | 76% |
| Louisiana | 3,550,000 | 77% |
| Maine | 960,000 | 70% |
| Maryland | 4,740,000 | 77% |
| Massachusetts | 5,290,000 | 76% |
| Michigan | 7,500,000 | 75% |
| Minnesota | 4,360,000 | 76% |
| Mississippi | 2,260,000 | 76% |
| Missouri | 4,650,000 | 75% |
| Montana | 810,000 | 73% |
| Nebraska | 1,520,000 | 77% |
| Nevada | 2,430,000 | 77% |
| New Hampshire | 1,010,000 | 73% |
| New Jersey | 7,070,000 | 76% |
| New Mexico | 1,580,000 | 75% |
| New York | 14,990,000 | 76% |
| North Carolina | 8,060,000 | 76% |
| North Dakota | 600,000 | 78% |
| Ohio | 8,850,000 | 75% |
| Oklahoma | 3,090,000 | 77% |
| Oregon | 3,180,000 | 75% |
| Pennsylvania | 9,560,000 | 74% |
| Puerto Rico | 2,300,000 | 71% |
| Rhode Island | 810,000 | 74% |
| South Carolina | 3,860,000 | 74% |
| South Dakota | 680,000 | 75% |
| Tennessee | 5,320,000 | 76% |
| Texas | 24,010,000 | 81% |
| Utah | 2,790,000 | 84% |
| Vermont | 460,000 | 72% |
| Virginia | 6,670,000 | 77% |
| Washington | 6,000,000 | 77% |
| West Virginia | 1,280,000 | 72% |
| Wisconsin | 4,420,000 | 75% |
| Wyoming | 430,000 | 75% |
| Total | 256,630,000 | 77% |
As Republicans continue their attacks on this bedrock program, Democrats are working to protect Social Security and ensure it remains solvent for generations to come:
In July, House Budget Committee Ranking Member Brendan F. Boyle and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse introduced the Medicare and Social Security Fair Share Act, legislation that would extend Social Security solvency indefinitely by making the nation's highest earners contribute their fair share. While cutting Social Security and Medicare benefits is opposed by 88 percent of Americans, Americans across the ideological spectrum support protecting Social Security by making the wealthy pay their fair share, including 63 percent of Republicans.
Nearly 200 House Democrats, including Ranking Member Boyle, have cosponsored Rep. John Larson's Social Security 2100 Act, legislation which would provide an across-the-board benefit increase, improve the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), and improve customer service at the Social Security Administration.
Alongside President Biden and House Democrats, Ranking Member Boyle has committed to defending Social Security against Republicans' attacks, stating, "Budget Committee Democrats will make sure every American family knows that House Republicans want to force Americans to work longer for less, raise families' costs, weaken our nation, and shrink our economy – all while wasting billions of dollars on more favors to special interests and handouts to the ultra-wealthy."
###