News

  • Legislative Update Week Ending December 12 2014

    However, it remains unclear if lawmakers will be able to successfully negotiate an omnibus before the December 11th deadline. Many in Congress are hoping to attach language to the spending measure that would block funding for an immigration executive order that President Obama is set to announce in the coming weeks. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (MD), Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, called the request a "deal-breaker," and said that it would likely result in a veto from President Obama. ."'We trace this mortality effect to cutbacks in life-saving medicines like statins and antihypertensives, for which clinical trials show large mortality benefits,' the researchers wrote. .Finally, one new cosponsor – Rep. Joyce Beatty (OH-3) – signed on to the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 1795) this week, bringing the total up to ninety-four. If signed into law, the bill would repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) – two provisions that unfairly reduce the earned Social Security benefits of millions of state and local government employees each year. … Continued

  • Legislative Update For Week Ending March 28 2014

    According to the results, TSCL's members and supporters would prefer to see a more permanent solution. Forty-eight percent of respondents said the DI program should tighten its eligibility requirements and conduct more continuing disability reviews to reduce fraud, and 51 percent said high wage earners should be required to pay Social Security taxes on all of their incomes. .On Wednesday, TSCL's Board of Trustees, along with Executive Director Shannon Benton, presented Rep. Mike McIntyre (NC-7) with the 2012 Seniors Advocate Award for his efforts on behalf of the nation's senior citizens. For more than fifteen years, Rep. McIntyre has been a leader dedicated to the issues that matter the most to TSCL's members and supporters. . It's a seldom-acknowledged fact. Yet it has growing repercussions for U.S. senior citizens. Immigrants who worked here illegally can claim Social Security benefits based on those illegal earnings. Illegal workers often supply employers with fake, or invalid, Social Security numbers (SSNs) that are not authorized for work. When the Social Security Administration receives wage reports under a name and/or SSN that does not match the records, the wage reports accumulate in an "Earnings Suspense File." Later, the illegal worker can file a claim for benefits based on those earnings if he or she can show evidence (like a W2) of employment and earnings. … Continued

First, one new cosponsor – Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-8) – signed on to the CPI-E Act (H.R. 1251), bringing the total up to fifty-three. If adopted, H.R. 1251 would make the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) more adequate by basing it on the spending patterns of older Americans – not the spending patterns of young, urban workers. .At the hearing, much of the focus was on the current state of the Social Security Trust Fund. Most Members of the Subcommittee, including Chairman Sam Johnson (TX-3), seemed to agree that Social Security is on the fast track towards insolvency, but Ranking Member Xavier Becerra (CA-31) was adamant that the program is on solid footing. .The report adds that, "The pharmaceutical industry has already shattered records this year, spending an unprecedented million to lobby the federal government in the first three months of this year, according to the CSP, including .7 million from PhRMA. Stephen Ubl, the CEO of PhRMA, criticized H.R. 3 last month, claiming it would ‘destroy an estimated one million American jobs.' The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the biggest lobbying spender this year, has also come out against the bill, comparing it to ‘government price controls' and claiming it would cost hundreds of thousands of jobs. .Finally, in May, TSCL hosted a "Welcome Reception" on Capitol Hill for all Members of the 113th Congress and their aides. The event offered TSCL's Board of Trustees, legislative team, and staff the opportunity to speak with lawmakers about the issues that matter most to seniors. In total, more than 125 Members of Congress and/or staff were in attendance, and many of them expressed their support for key bills, making the event a great success. .But this doesn't necessarily mean that the rising Part B premium would reduce an individual's net Social Security benefits next year. Due to a special provision of law known as the Social Security "hold harmless" provision, the Medicare Part B premium is adjusted to prevent an overall reduction in Social Security benefits from December of the previous year. The provision only applies to about 70% of all Medicare beneficiaries, however, and does not protect people whose overall income is so low that their Medicare Part B premium is paid by state Medicaid programs, and individuals with incomes above ,000 or married couples with incomes above 5,000. .To learn how you can join the effort for an Emergency COLA and Medicare relief, Visit .TSCL has been concerned that the coronavirus pandemic could accelerate the impending insolvency of the Medicare Trust Fund. With record numbers of Americans out of work, fewer payroll taxes are coming in to fund Medicare spending. At the same time, the number of beneficiaries is rising and, earlier this year, Congress accessed Medicare's reserves to fund COVID-19 relief efforts. .TSCL agrees with Congressman Carter and Ranking Member Cummings, and we believe Congress must act before the end of this year to prevent price gouging in the pharmaceutical industry. We enthusiastically support the Prescription Drug Affordability Act, and we will advocate for it tirelessly in the months ahead. For updates on the bill's progress, visit the Legislative News section of our website, or follow us on Twitter. .Senate Committee Discusses Drug Costs