Help Build Momentum for Rep. Larson’s Bill that Expands Social Security Benefits

H.R. 5723, Rep. John Larson’s (CT) “Social Security 2100: A Sacred Trust,” expands and strengthens Social Security, increasing benefits for all beneficiaries by requiring wealthy Americans to pay payroll taxes on wages above $400,000. It will also restore earned Social Security benefits to more than 2 million public sector retirees by repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset.

Rep. Larson, the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee Chairman, introduced the legislation on October 26, 2021. His bill expands benefits across the board, with greater increases for the lowest-income and oldest beneficiaries.

A vote on H.R. 5723, which currently has 201 co-sponsors in the House, could come as soon as this spring. Send a letter to your U.S. Representative here and help build the momentum to pass it quickly. 

“An increase in Social Security benefits is critical to help seniors fight inflation,” said Robert Roach, Jr., President of the Alliance, who urged passage of the legislation in testimony before the subcommittee in December. “One in four Americans over age 65 relies on Social Security for 90% of their income.”

Alliance Draws Attention to Dangers of Sen. Scott’s “Rescue America Plan”

Pennsylvania Alliance member Mary Wills, President of the Capitol Area Retired Pennsylvania State Education Association, spoke out at a Pennsylvania Democratic Party event on Thursday on the state capitol steps in Harrisburg.

The event came during the week that Americans’ federal taxes were due to the IRS. In their remarks, Ms. Wills and others reacted to Sen. Rick’s Scott’s (FL) so-called 11-point Rescue America Plan, which would raise taxes on nearly half of all Americans, including seniors.

His plan also calls for “sunsetting” Social Security and Medicare within five years, meaning they would be automatically terminated unless renewed by legislative action. 

Scott is the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is in charge of developing Republican strategy and recruiting Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate.

"The wealthiest member of Congress, with a net worth of more than $200 million, actually had the nerve to tell workers and retirees that they’re not paying their fair share," said Ms. Wills of the proposed tax changes. 

"Workers pay into Social Security over a lifetime,” she added regarding the provision that would sunset Social Security. “It is NOT the government's money. How dare Sen. Scott do this!”

Big Pharma’s Lies on Drug Prices Debunked

This week, the Alliance joined the bipartisan patient coalition Patients for Affordable Drugs Now (P4ADN) as it implemented Debunking Big Pharma Week. Throughout the week, P4ADNow highlighted five of Big Pharma’s biggest lies to shed light on the truth behind important drug pricing reforms.

• Innovation: While Big Pharma claims that pricing reforms stifle innovation, we can still create innovative medicine at affordable prices.
• Access: Drug pricing reforms will increase patient access by lowering costs, regardless of what Big Pharma wants you to believe.
• COVID-19 Vaccines: Even though drug companies claim to have ‘saved the day’ by quickly producing vaccines for COVID-19, the truth is that the taxpayers saved ourselves. 

Out-of-pocket costs: Don’t listen when Big Pharma says that patients only care about lowering out-of-pocket costs. We can’t lower out-of-pocket costs without lowering drug prices first.

With Congress so close to passing drug pricing reform for the first time in two decades, Big Pharma has ramped-up its disinformation campaign against any bills that threaten its unchecked power to dictate prices of brand-name drugs.

“Unless we combat the misinformation on lower drug price reforms, older Americans will keep paying exorbitant prices for the medicine they need,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance. “We need to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices even if the drug industry tries to trick members of Congress and Senators into maintaining their outrageous profits through inaction.”

Workers Memorial Day is April 28 - Find an Event Near You

Workers Memorial Day, April 28, is next Thursday. This year, the labor movement will commemorate those we have lost on the job and will organize to make the fundamental right of a safe job a reality for all workers. The theme is "Organize! Safe Jobs Now."

Trade unionists around the country and globe are organizing events to observe Workers Memorial Day. Please find an event near you, join the AFL-CIO and fellow Alliance members and honor the victims of workplace injury and illness by

calling to organize safe jobs for all workers. Labor will highlight the toll of job injuries and deaths and demand that elected officials put workers’ well-being above corporate interests. This year, and every year, the AFL-CIO will defend the right of every worker to a safe job and build collective power to make that right a reality.

“The best thing we can do to improve worker safety is urge senators to pass the PRO Act, H.R. 842, which makes it easier to join or form a union,” said Joseph Peters, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “That would mean not only improved worker safety, but also benefits such as health care, pensions and employer contributions to retirement plans. A safer working environment goes hand-in-hand with a more comfortable retirement.”

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.