Dear John,

Next year's Social Security cost of living adjustment (COLA) will be nearly 6 percent, the largest in years. That means 70 million Americans will see more money in their pockets as rising demand and supply shocks have led to higher prices for certain items during our economic recovery.

This COLA increase will be good for seniors, but I know it's going to take much more to help Americans on Social Security recover the buying power they lost after decades of weak cost of living increases. And I hear over and over from Northeastern Pennsylvanians that their Social Security payments too often get eaten up by rising Medicare Part B premiums, or prescription drug costs.

That's why I am working in Congress to strengthen benefits and restore the sacred trust of Social Security. I'll have more to say on this in the coming weeks.

Today, nearly 100,000 families in Pennsylvania's Eighth District are seeing their fourth Child Tax Credit tax cut payments in their bank accounts. This tax cut for working families through the American Rescue Plan is helping tens of thousands of Northeastern Pennsylvania families catch up on bills and pay for things like child care, gas and groceries, while supporting local jobs and businesses.

I believe we should build on this progress by making this tax cut permanent and lowering families' child care costs.

Under the Build Back Better Act we're working on in Congress, it is estimated that the typical Pennsylvania family of four with one infant in full-time center-based child care would save $10,370 each year. The typical Pennsylvania family of four with one infant and one child in full-time center-based child care would save $20,530 each year.

I'm working to pass this into law because this proposal would give families greater financial security, allow more parents to get back to work and help grow the economy.

As long as you normally file your taxes, you should automatically receive these tax cut payments monthly if your family is eligible. If you did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2020, and did not use the IRS non-filers tool to get your stimulus payment, there is still time for you to claim it online through the IRS website through today.

For those unable to complete this form in time, the IRS is working to develop another tool to help you get the tax cut you deserve. I will let you know when that information becomes available.

On Tuesday, we voted in the U.S. House to avoid a national default and sent the measure to the president for signature. This is about more than paying our bills for money already spent -- it's also about protecting our economic recovery, keeping the U.S. dollar strong and fulfilling the promises our government has made -- like delivering Social Security checks each month.

Unfortunately, there was only just enough support from Republicans to prevent a national default for another two months, which means we will again soon find ourselves on the edge of global economic catastrophe.

Here, I break down why it's so important for both parties to come together around a longer term solution to protecting the full faith and credit of the United States government:

October 9, 2021

Be safe and well,