Senators Brown and Collins Urge Senate Leadership to Bring the Social Security Fairness Act to the Floor

This week Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Susan Collins (R-ME) sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) expressing the need for their bill, the Social Security Fairness Act, to be brought to the Senate floor for a vote as soon as possible.

The Social Security Fairness Act, S. 597 in the Senate and H.R. 82 in the House, would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which limits Social Security benefits for people who receive disability benefits or a pension from an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes. It also repeals the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which reduces the Social Security benefits of spouses, widows, and widowers who also receive a government pension. In total, these programs reduce the Social Security benefits of nearly 3 million Americans, unfairly denying them their full benefits.

Senators Sherrod Brown and Susan Collins

The Social Security Fairness Act has 62 cosponsors in the Senate. The 62 cosponsors is significant because a bill needs 60 votes in the Senate to prevent a filibuster.

“The WEP and GPO deny millions of public sector retirees and their families the benefits they have earned,” said Roach Roach, Jr., President of the Alliance. “We strongly urge the Senate to heed Sen. Brown’s and Sen. Collins’ call for a vote.”

Seniors Praise Choice of Governor Tim Walz as Running Mate

Citing his long record of public service as a member of the U.S. House and Governor of Minnesota, Alliance members applauded Vice President Kamala Harris’ choice of Governor Tim Walz as her Vice Presidential nominee Tuesday.

“Vice President Harris’ selection of Governor Tim Walz as her running mate is another exciting and promising sign for seniors and their families. She has clearly chosen someone who understands what matters most to older Americans and will fight for us,” said President Roach.

“Tim Walz understands that Social Security is essential. After his father died, his mother relied on those benefits to keep the household running,” he added. “Like Vice President Harris, he will fight to make sure the benefits we’ve earned will be there for current and future retirees.”

As a member of the U.S. House from 2007-2019, Rep. Walz earned a 92% lifetime score in the Alliance’s annual Congressional Voting Record. He voted to pass the Affordable Care Act in 2010, which gave 65 million Medicare beneficiaries screenings at no cost for diabetes, heart disease, breast, colon and prostate cancers and lower drug prices by closing the Medicare Part D doughnut hole. 

“If he is elected Vice President, retirees should feel confident that the Harris-Walz administration will work hard to strengthen and protect their hard earned Social Security and Medicare benefits,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance.

Governor Walz has been a pro-senior governor of Minnesota. He signed paid family and medical leave into law which helps seniors and families in times of need. His budgets included provisions to support retirees and family caregivers, prioritizing vaccines for seniors during the pandemic.

Fiesta noted that Older Americans can trust the Harris-Walz team to build on Vice President Harris’ record of lowering drug prices and protecting retirees’ hard earned pensions from their first day in office. In contrast, J.D. Vance earned just a 13% lifetime Pro-Retiree Score in the Alliance’s Congressional Voting Record for his votes against pro-retiree legislation when he served in the U.S. Senate. 

Read the Alliance’s full statement here.

In Case You Missed It: Executive Director Fiesta Joins “Seniors for Harris” Organizing Call with Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and his Parents

Last Sunday’s “Seniors for Harris” organizing call to elect Kamala Harris included not only Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff’s parents Michael and Barbara Emhoff, Reps. Jim Clyburn (SC) and Sylvia Garcia (TX), actor/singer Richard Chamberlain, Executive Director Fiesta and other special speakers – it also included a surprise appearance by Emhoff himself.

“The issues for seniors are very stark, it’s all in Project 2025…they want to take away Social Security benefits, Medicare, the progress we’ve made on lowering costs for Insulin for seniors, $35 a month, negotiating with big pharma,” said Emhoff, who has been married to Vice President Harris since 2014. “Not only will Kamala Harris fight for seniors but she’s gonna fight for your children, and your grandchildren.”

If you weren’t able to attend the organizing call live, watch it here.

Almost 50% of Global Dementia Cases May be Preventable

According to a new report published last week by the Lancet Commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and care, nearly half of all global dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by eliminating 14 risk factors throughout an individual’s lifetime. The most recent Lancet Commission report, the third on the subject, identified 14 preventable risk factors that account for almost 50% of all dementia diagnoses.

The 14 risk factors identified by the Lancet Commision are lower levels of education, hearing loss, hypertension, smoking, obesity, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption, traumatic brain injury (TBI), air pollution, social isolation, untreated vision loss and elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. 

Of all of the risk factors, the two tied to the largest number of dementia patients are hearing impairment and high LDL cholesterol, which both account for 7% of dementia cases worldwide. Almost as dangerous are limited education early in life and social isolation in later life, which are both responsible for 5% of worldwide dementia cases. 

The Commission report also provides 13 recommendations to help mitigate the risk of dementia. They include preventing and treating hearing loss, vision loss, and depression; being cognitively active throughout life; using head protection in contact sports; reducing vascular risk factors (high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, hypertension); providing supportive community environments to increase social contact; and improving air quality.  

“Learning the risk factors for dementia and prevention strategies is incredibly important for both seniors and the not-so-old,” said Joseph Peters, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “The possibility of preventing or delaying half of dementia cases is groundbreaking for older citizens all over the world and their loved ones.”

Thanks for reading. Every day, we're fighting to lower prescription drug prices and protect retirees' earned benefits and health care. But we can't do it without your help. Please support our work by donating below.