Newsletter: Preserving Social Security and Medicare

Statement

Dear Neighbors,

This week we celebrate the 80th anniversary of the landmark Social Security Act. As we mark this national milestone, it is important that we both reflect on how far our Nation has come since FDR signed that seminal bill into law, and redouble our efforts to strengthen Social Security for future generations.

Social Security makes a real difference in the lives of working Americans -- especially for the more than 100,000 of our neighbors in the 8th District currently receiving benefits. One of my top priorities as a Member of Congress is to protect vital programs like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Since the creation of Social Security, millions of American workers have relied on this crucial earned benefits program to retire with dignity and have support when they face a disability or a death in the family. At the end of last year, nearly 60 million Americans were receiving Social Security benefits, including more than 9 million Veterans. Benefits are modest, $1,215 per month on average, but for many Americans they make the difference between poverty and making ends meet. Two out of three retired Americans receive the majority of their income from Social Security and for many workers with disabilities their benefit makes up the majority of their income. This historic commitment and pledge from our country remains one of our greatest achievements.

The Great Depression was the catalyst that led to the creation of Social Security. As we continue to recover from the Great Recession, Congress must once again take decisive action to defeat misguided efforts to privatize or cut Social Security so that future generations will be able to retire with dignity after a life of hard work.

Sincerely,

Congresswoman Duckworth

Source