Alliance Releases New Congressional Voting Record

The Alliance released its 2022 Congressional Voting Record, which scores each U.S. Senator and Representative on critical retirement security issues, on Monday. 

“Almost every member of Congress says they care about seniors while they are on the campaign trail,” said Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance. “Our annual report shows which House and Senate members actually voted in older Americans’ best interests.”

Ten Senate and House floor votes are considered in the report. They include votes on bills and amendments to lower drug prices through the Inflation Reduction 

Act; protect voting rights; and pass the Postal Service Reform Act, which was critical to retirees who often rely on the postal service for at-home delivery of medications and election ballots.

In addition, Congress cast key votes on government funding, including the FY 2023 Consolidated Appropriations bill that funded all twelve federal agencies. The $1.7 trillion spending bill contained an important $785 million increase for the Social Security Administration to improve its response to Americans seeking assistance or information. 

Fifty members of the U.S. Senate and 220 members of the U.S. House of Representatives earned perfect 100 percent scores. Twenty-three senators earned scores of 20% or below, including Rick Scott (FL, 10%), who has been at the forefront of GOP plans to cut Social Security and Medicare. Seventy-four House members earned a score of 0%. 

Among the senators earning a score of 100% were Tammy Baldwin (WI), Sherrod Brown (OH); Bob Casey, Jr. (PA), Jacky Rosen (NV) and Jon Tester (MT).

"The senior vote is a key to winning elections,” Fiesta added. "The Alliance voting record will be a valuable tool for older voters as they consider who to support in 2024.”

Both the national 2022 Congressional Voting Record and a version for each state delegation is available on the Alliance’s website.

Biden-Harris Administration Acts to Lower Prices for 27 Drugs

On Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced 27 prescription drugs for which Medicare Part B beneficiary coinsurances may be lower from April 1 – June 30, 2023. Due to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the new law to lower prescription drug costs, some people with Medicare who take these drugs may save between $2 and $390 on average, depending on their individual coverage. 

Drug corporations hiked the price for 27 drugs last quarter faster than the rate of inflation, and will have to pay the difference on those medicines to Medicare. President Biden said that in addition to those 27 drugs, more drug price cuts are coming.

Katie Jordan with HHS Sec. Becerra on Friday

The Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program is one of the many important tools Medicare now has to address rising drug costs. By reducing coinsurance for some people with Part B coverage and discouraging drug companies from increasing prices more briskly than inflation, HHS can lower out-of-pocket costs for some people with Medicare and reduce Medicare program spending for costly drugs. ​

Illinois Alliance Treasurer Katie Jordan is speaking at an event today in Evergreen Park, Illinois with HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra touting the developments. 

“I am 95 years old, so I’ve had a chance to see a few things,” said Ms. Jordan. “I know when a law truly changes people’s lives. And President Biden and Congressional Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act is doing that in a number of ways.”

GOP Senator John Kennedy, Presidential Candidate Nikki Haley Threaten Social Security, Medicare Cuts

Last Thursday, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley called for changing the retirement age for Americans currently in their twenties and limiting Social Security and Medicare benefits for wealthier Americans. 

Haley said that for those in their 20s, she “would change the retirement age so that it matches life expectancy.”

Three days later, Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana also said on "Fox News Sunday" that President Biden's budget belongs in a "shredder" and that the retirement age for Social Security eligibility should be raised.

Nevertheless, Sen. Mitt Romney (UT) grandstanded during an exchange with Shalanda Young, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) during a Senate Budget Committee hearing on Wednesday. Romney falsely claimed that he doesn’t know of any “Republican or Democrat in the House or the Senate who is proposing cutting Social Security benefits...” 

“Some GOP politicians get angry when they are reminded that leading members of their party want to slash our hard earned Social Security and Medicare benefits,” said Robert Roach, Jr., President of the Alliance. “We must continue to speak out whenever they remind us with their words and actions that they have NOT dropped the idea.”

California Alliance Members Leading Protest Today at House Speaker McCarthy’s Office

The California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA) is leading a Day of Action to protect, improve and expand Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security today. More than 700 CARA activists will demonstrate at the Bakersfield, CA office of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to drive home the point that no cuts to the programs will be tolerated.

“CARA members are going into the belly of the beast,” said Joseph Peters, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “Speaker McCarthy certainly has the power to prevent cuts to Social Security and Medicare if he chooses.”

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