Dear Harris,
Social Security is one of the smartest, most effective, and most popular programs in American history. For nearly a century, through economic ups and downs, it has never missed a payment, always delivering benefits on time to every eligible American. We can be proud of how reliable and beneficial this system is.
Before Social Security was created in 1935, nearly half of our nation's seniors lived in poverty. Today, that number is down to 10.3 percent. In 2021 alone, Social Security lifted more than 18 million older Americans out of poverty. Despite this remarkable success, far too many seniors and people with disabilities still struggle to get by, while Republicans in Congress push for deep l cuts to Social Security benefits.
House Budget Committee Ranking Member Brendan Boyle reports that the Republican Study Committee's released 2025 budget would "make Republican plans to gut Social Security a reality." Forcing Americans to work longer for less, they would "cut Social Security benefits for 257 million people, or 3 in 4 Americans."
This is the same proposed Republican budget that ends Medicare as we know it, attacks the Affordable Care Act, and slashes food assistance for children. And it offers all this destruction in order to pander to the ultra-rich with $4.5 trillion dollars in tax cuts.
Nearly 40% of seniors rely on Social Security for more than half of their income, nearly half of Americans 55 and older have zero retirement savings, and the average Social Security benefit is only $1,688 a month. The program has a $2.85 trillion surplus and can pay full benefits until 2035. Yet, some Republicans in Congress still claim Social Security is going broke.
It's not going broke, but we can do better. Instead of cutting Social Security benefits just to line the pockets of billionaires, let's find ways to increase benefits to all Americans and improve its solvency now, and beyond 2035. We can make Social Security stronger, not weaker>. This is the effect of legislation sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders and Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Val Hoyle: the Social Security Expansion Act of 2025.
Now, the richest man on earth, Elon Musk, is working on a hostile takeover of Social Security, threatening $500 billion in cuts to Social Security and Medicare. If this bill had been passed when first introduced just four years ago, Musk would have paid $2.9 billion more in taxes, Social Security would have been solvent for 75 years, benefits would have increased by $2,400, and 93% of Americans wouldn't have paid a penny more in taxes.
Show your support for the Social Security Expansion Act, and ensure that every American can retire with dignity and financial security. Sign on now!
So what exactly would the Social Security Expansion Act do? Its benefits will go straight to the American people, who – let's be real – deserve it:
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First, it will increase benefits for everyone. Social Security benefits would go up by $2,400 a year for both current and future recipients.
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Provide Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) that reflect seniors' actual expenses. Older Americans aren't out buying the latest iPhones or splurging on luxury goods. The biggest parts of their spending are on health care and essentials, and Social Security adjustments should reflect this.
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Stop letting the richest Americans off the hook: Billionaires pay a far smaller percent of their income into Social Security taxes than the rest of us. Why? Because everything they earn beyond $176,100 has a Social Security tax rate of exactly zero. If a CEO earns $20 million a year, more than $19.8 million of that escapes the social security tax altogether. This bill will eliminate this gaping loophole.
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Protect low-income workers from poverty. The bill increases the Special Minimum Benefit so that no full-career worker ends up below 125% of the poverty line (over $18,000 a year).
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Ensure millionaires and billionaires pay in based on all their income. Right now, workers have 12.4% of their whole income taxed for Social Security, but the wealthy pay nothing on any of their investment and business income. This bill ensures the wealthy pay the same percentage on their whole income that wage-based workers do.
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Restore student benefits for children of disabled or deceased workers up to age 22, and combine the trust funds for retirees and people with disabilities, ensuring a more stable future for everyone.
This is smart policy. It's fair. And it's exactly what Congress should be doing to protect and expand Social Security – not cutting it.
Sign your name now to support the Social Security Expansion Act! Let's stand behind Social Security to make it stronger for all Americans.
Thank you for protecting this national treasure.
Robert Reich
Inequality Media Civic Action
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