In 2018 Sally will finally get a COLA of 2% raising her monthly benefit of ,003 by .10 to ,023.However, if Medicare Part B premiums would be 4 per month in 2018 — Sally would need a COLA of .10 to cover the full cost of Part B premiums. Because Sally's benefit only increased .10, the increase in her Part B premium cannot exceed that amount. Thus Sally will continue to receive hold harmless protection and her monthly Medicare Part B premium would be adjusted downwards to 8.00 (7.90 + .10) to avoid reduction of her Social Security benefit. .For details, or to see if your Members of Congress will be holding town hall meetings during this week's recess, call their local offices. You can find contact information HERE. .By Rick Delaney, Chairman of the Board .The Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Adam Smith (D-Wash.) has announced that if the bill is vetoed the House will come back into session over the holidays and vote to override. .This week TSCL Board member and Legislative Liaison, Doug Osborne, was in Washington. D.C. Mr. Osborne began his visit by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for Veteran's Day with TSCL's parent organization, TREThe Enlisted Association. Together with TSCL Executive Director Shannon Benton and TSCL Legislative Consultant Larry Madison he spent the next two days on the "Hill" speaking with Congressional staff members about legislation TSCL is lobbying to pass in Congress. The focus of our efforts was on Social Security issues, specifically the "Notch" issue and the "Windfall Elimination Provision," (WEP) both of which affect many TSCL supporters. .The abrupt and severe contraction in the U.S. economy caused by the coronavirus has far-reaching consequences for Social Security. Twenty million workers filed claims for unemployment between March 15, 2020 and April 17, 2020, a level that has not been seen since the Great Depression. Both the wide-scale shutdowns and layoffs, as well as provisions of the coronavirus CARES Act stimulus legislation significantly reduce the anticipated amount of payroll taxes flowing into Social Security this year. .TSCL strongly supports legislation that would provide a minimum COLA in years when inflation is below average — such as the Guaranteed 3% COLA Act (H.R. 991) sponsored by Representative Eliot Engel (NY-16). How are low COLAs and higher costs affecting you? Let your Members of Congress know! Call 1-844-455-0045. .The irony is that when Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) because Senate Majority Leader in 2015 he said the Senate must return to "regular order," which means getting its work done in an orderly fashion and on time. .During these meetings, the following issues were discussed: Social Security cost-of-living adjustments, Social Security Notch fairness, Social Security Totalization Agreement reform, and repeal of both the windfall elimination provision (WEP) and the government pension offset (GPO). Support was expressed for many of these key issues, and TSCL looks forward to working with these offices in the future.