Providing for Consideration of H.R. Middle Class Borrower Protection Act of Providing for Consideration of H.R. Custom Health Option and Individual Care Expense Arrangement Act; and Providing for Consideration of H. Res. Condemning the Use of Elementary and Secondary School Facilities to Provide Shelter for Aliens Who Are Not Admitted to the United States

Floor Speech

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Mr. SORENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I stand today in strong support of Social Security and the invaluable role that it plays in the lives of more than 2.2 million people in Illinois and over 150,000 of our neighbors and family members in the 17th Congressional District of Illinois.

Social Security benefits make up one-third of the income of our Nation's seniors, and benefits are the primary source of income for most seniors.

Social Security is not a handout. This is a program that working Americans have paid into for years with the promise that the Federal Government would stand by them and respect their hard work and their labor.

Too often over the past few months, we have heard threats from my colleagues across the aisle about cutting off these hard-earned benefits--first during the debt ceiling negotiations, and most recently, my colleagues in the Republican Study Committee recently put forth a budget that renews Republican attacks on Social Security benefits.

Their unserious proposal shows my colleagues care more about scoring political points and playing games with your future than governing responsibly and with your interests in mind. That we are having this conversation and considering these budgets shows how out of touch my colleagues across the aisle are with the struggles that real Americans face every single day.

Under their proposal, 9.7 million Illinoisans would see their retirement age increased, cutting their Social Security benefits and forcing them to work even longer for less.

Let me be clear, Mr. Speaker. Social Security is a sacred promise to our Nation's seniors. It is not a political football. I will oppose any proposal that cuts the earned benefits that provide essential financial stability to millions of Americans.

Our communities have worked for decades to earn these benefits, and it is unconscionable to turn around and take that away from people, especially as prices still remain high for consumers.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so we can bring up legislation that protects, not undermines, Social Security.

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