Opposition to President Trump's and Elon Musk's Theft of Social Security to Pay for Handouts to Billionaires
Floor Speech
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Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, as a policymaker and citizen, I unconditionally and absolutely reject President Trump's and Elon Musk's work to steal American's Social Security benefits, a scheme that hurts middle-class and working-class families and seniors to pay for tax handouts to billionaires. When Americans already face increased prices and economic hardship from the President's chaotic policies, Mr. Trump threatens Social Security--the leading assistance program that 73 million Americans depend on for monthly assistance. This group includes the more than 7 million seniors aged 65 or older for whom 90 percent of their income is their earned Social Security benefits. Without Social Security, 52.2 percent of older women would live in poverty. About 45 percent of Black seniors, 52 percent of Latino seniors, and 41 percent of Asian-American seniors rely mostly or only on Social Security for income. This effort to gut Social Security is an appalling illustration of the highest level of greed, where billionaires rob from hard-working Americans to augment their wealth.
By slashing staff, closing 6 out of 10 regional offices, cutting customer service operations, restricting phone service assistance, and spreading falsehoods about the Social Security Administration (SSA), Trump and Musk jeopardize Americans' earned benefits and security. Let me be clear--cuts to the Social Security Administration that prevent beneficiaries from accessing their benefits are absolutely, unequivocally backdoor benefit cuts. Seniors and people with disabilities cannot get help by phone due to reduced phone service. They can't get help by the website that frequently crashes and presents access barriers to the elderly. Nor can they get help in person given the increased distance to offices and longer wait times due to dramatic staff cuts and office closures.
At the time when the greatest number of baby boomers are retiring and need the most help and when SSA already is at its lowest staffing level in decades, it is unconscionable that the Republicans seek to gut Social Security and throw seniors, orphans, and those with disabilities into poverty. All baby boomers will be 67 by 2031. So we are in the peak period of retirement. I introduced the Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act as an essential step to protecting Social Security benefits for the 1 in 5 Americans who need these community offices. Field offices serve as a lifeline for seniors and people with disabilities, giving the in-person assistance to ensure they receive their correct benefits. In my Congressional District alone, 68,550 retired workers, 12,772 disabled workers, and 5,239 widowers or parents receive critical Social Security benefits. An additional 25,000 receive Supplemental Security Income to pay their bills and survive. These constituents rely on field offices when they need help. Field offices are not extra or fluff; they are crucial.
I also must refuse the default Republican Social Security ``reform'' of raising the retirement age to 70 given that it would disproportionately harm Black men and communities of color who have lower life expectances. Systematic inequalities in socioeconomic status, education, food security, and access to healthcare play an intricate role in life expectancy. The life expectancy for Black men is age 72.8, in contrast to 77.5 for White men. All Americans should equitably reap the earned benefits of their tireless labor.
With fewer than 100 days in office, President Trump has already caused tremendous harm to Social Security, jeopardizing the well-being of tens of millions of seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities. This assault on Social Security is an assault on our nation's most vulnerable and least secure. Across the nation, this damage is in addition to his erratic and senseless tariffs and the dramatic reductions or eliminations of essential supports for housing, healthcare, food, and education and so much more. These policies threaten the livelihoods of individuals and our nation's economy--all so the obscenely wealthy grow more secure while condemning the majority to a precarious existence, defenseless against life's unpredictability and wholly susceptible to exploitation and despair. I will fight with every ounce of my being to oppose President Trump's and Elon Musk's theft of Social Security and the Republican effort to cripple Americans for their greed.
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