Just as today, in 1977 the federal budget was in deficit, and Social Security was facing a funding crisis. The new benefit formula changes first affected seniors who turned 62 in 1979 just two years later. Seniors born from 1917 through 1926 wound up receiving lower benefits than other retirees with almost identical work and earnings records. Although reductions of about 10 percent for average earners were expected at the time of the changes, Notch babies were often affected by disparities of 20 percent or more, because a phase-in benefit formula failed. .Congress recently enacted legislation that ended two so-called Social Security benefit "loopholes" — known as "file and suspend" and "restricted application." Details about the changes, which affect some married couples and took effect on April 30th, 2016 — can be found in the Social Security Q & A. .The Senior Citizens League is opposed to any payroll tax cut which would remove the major portion of Medicare Part A hospital insurance funding. That's money today's beneficiaries paid into the system during their working careers, and the same funds are needed today to reimburse hospital services for today's patients. .This week, one new cosponsor – Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-4) – signed on to the Social Security 2100 Act (H.R. 1391). The total is now up to sixty-two. If signed into law, H.R. 1391 would increase Social Security benefits by 2 percent, cut taxes for over 11 million seniors, increase the minimum benefit to 125 percent of the poverty line, and make cost-of-living adjustments more fair and accurate. It would also take measures to increase the solvency of the trust fund beyond the next seventy-five years, through the year 2100. .Sources: "Medicare Drug Plan Benefit Some, Others Fall Through Cracks," Robyn Shelton, The Orlando Sentinel, February 2, 200"Federal Costs Dropping Under New Medicare Drug Plan," Robert Pear, The New York Times, February 3, 200"U.S. Customs Cracks Down On Prescription Drug Shipments," Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, February 9, 200"Answers Sought on Medicine Seizures," Lisa Girion and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, The Los Angeles Times, February 16, 2006. .Before a vaccine was approved for distribution, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission posted a warning about fake stock offers pitching a nonexistent biotech company allegedly developing a vaccine. .TSCL plans to continue hosting town hall meetings in the future. If you are interested in helping us plan a meeting in your area, click HERE. .Sen. Barbara Mikulski (MD), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, stated earlier this week, "What I hope to be able to do is keep the government open, to avoid a government shutdown, to do no harm, and to be as boring as possible." The House planned to vote on a package that would simply extend current funding levels through mid-December on Thursday, and the Senate was set on taking it up next week. .Source: The Federal Government's Long-Term Fiscal Outlook, Government Accountability Office, October 201"Monitoring Medicare+Choice, What Have We Learned?" Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., August, 2004.