Dear Lawmaker:
On behalf of the AFL-CIO, I am writing to urge you to support a slate of bills that would financially strengthen the Social Security program while helping retirees and people with disabilities keep pace with today’s cost of living.
Social Security is a cornerstone of a dignified retirement and a critical form of insurance in the event of unexpected death or disability. Working people rely upon this program and, ninety years after its creation, Social Security remains one of our nation’s most successful and cost-effective anti-poverty programs. At the same time, the program faces a financial challenge beginning in 2034, when it will no longer be able to pay full benefits. The looming funding shortfall is a major concern for voters of all ages, who understand that addressing the issue now will require fewer difficult trade-offs later.
Each of the bills highlighted in this letter addresses a pressing issue within the Social Security system. Several would modernize elements of the program that work well but require updating; one would mitigate threats to Social Security posed by so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the current Administration; and another would shift the conversation about solvency away from cutting benefits and toward meeting the needs of working families in a fiscally responsible and equitable manner. While there are other proposals that could benefit working families, these five bills exemplify how to improve a social insurance program that Americans value and depend on.
First, the Safeguarding American Families and Expanding Social Security Act (S. 3462) introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), would phase out the current cap on the payroll tax so that high-income earners contribute to the trust fund more equitably. It would use the additional revenue to increase benefits for all retirees, update the cost-of-living adjustment formula to better reflect the expenses seniors face and improve the solvency of the program for decades to come.
Second, the Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act (S. 2763), introduced by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Charles Schumer (D-NY), would prevent closures, service reductions, or relocations of SSA field offices without congressional approval; require staffing levels to remain at least as high as they were before the cut-backs imposed by DOGE and the Trump Administration; and ensure beneficiaries can speak with live operators rather than AI systems. It would also set Social Security Administration funding at 1.2% of total benefit payments—an essential $5 billion increase from current levels. In addition, it strengthens penalties for the improper disclosure or access of sensitive Social Security records and blocks DOJ and political appointees from gaining unauthorized access.
Third, the Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act (HR 7828/S. 4001), introduced by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Reps. Adelia Grijalva (D-AZ) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) as well as Del. Jim Moylan (Guam-R), would update the SSI program’s outdated asset limits. The bill would raise them from $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples to $10,000 and $20,000, respectively, and increase the “income disregard” amounts that have not changed since 1974. The bill would also encourage family support and financial independence, and extend SSI to the territories (Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa).
Fourth, the Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act (S. 3357/HR 6424) introduced by Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) and Rep. Gabe Amo (D-RI) would increase the long-standing lump-sum death benefit from $255 to $2,900 for deaths occurring in 2025, with annual inflation adjustments thereafter. This update would provide meaningful financial relief to grieving families and modernize a benefit that has been frozen for more than 70 years.
Fifth, the Surviving Widow(er) Income Fair Treatment (SWIFT) Act (S. 2741) would make much-needed changes to benefit rules affecting widow(er)s and surviving divorced spouses. Current law caps benefits based on outdated and arbitrary restrictions. The SWIFT Act would modernize these rules, expand benefit options, and allow widow(er)s and surviving divorced spouses with disabilities to receive 100% of the survivor benefit they are entitled to, regardless of age. It would also allow survivors to increase the value of their benefits beyond current arbitrary caps.
Finally, we want to urge you not to support legislation creating a fiscal commission that could be used to fast-track a proposal that would reduce Social Security benefits rather than ensuring everyone pays their fair share. Bills like HR 3289 and S. 4012 look at the growing federal debt as a spending crisis, rather than addressing the majority’s lack of fiscal discipline in enacting trillion-dollar tax cuts that primarily benefitted the wealthy. Congress already has a more than adequate mechanism to address the fiscal situation. The only reason to create an alternative to the budget reconciliation process is to get around the Byrd Rule in the Senate that bars cuts to Social Security.
Social Security stands at a critical moment. The retirement system faces a modest but real financing gap that threatens the income security of millions of retirees, while the disability program continues to operate under outdated rules that exclude far too many people. Together, these bills address voter concerns regarding program solvency, integrity, and modernization.
Each of these five Social Security bills represents a fair, equitable, and practical approach to strengthening Social Security and addressing the real needs of working families. While the program has many champions in Congress, we highlight these five bills as great examples of how lawmakers can improve the program and place it on firmer financial footing. Please cosponsor these bills or introduce a companion bill in your chamber.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Lee Goldberg at [email protected] or (202) 637-5344.
Sincerely,
Jody Calemine
Director, Government Affairs