Affirming the House of Representatives' commitment to protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Social Security and Medicare should be strengthened. It also condemns commissions and the privatization of Social Security.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 178 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 178

   Affirming the House of Representatives' commitment to protect and 
                strengthen Social Security and Medicare.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 28, 2023

 Mr. Kildee submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
 the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Affirming the House of Representatives' commitment to protect and 
                strengthen Social Security and Medicare.

Whereas Social Security and Medicare have been the foundation of our Nation's 
        economic and health security, uplifting generations of Americans;
Whereas nearly all Americans pay into Social Security and Medicare throughout a 
        lifetime of work, earning retirement insurance, disability insurance, 
        life insurance, and health insurance that ensure the right to benefits 
        when needed;
Whereas, today, more than 66,000,000 seniors, people with disabilities, and 
        children rely on Social Security to meet their basic needs and live in 
        dignity;
Whereas Social Security protects workers and their families by providing 
        benefits to their children and spouses who depend on them when they 
        retire, experience a career-ending disability, or die;
Whereas Social Security benefits are guaranteed to be paid for life and are 
        fully protected against inflation through automatic cost-of-living 
        adjustments;
Whereas Social Security is particularly important to people of color and women 
        who are less likely to have pensions or other savings to help protect 
        against financial insecurity;
Whereas more than 8,000,000 veterans receive Social Security, and 6,500,000 
        children depend on Social Security because their parent has died, is 
        disabled, or they live in a household that receives income from Social 
        Security;
Whereas, today, more than 63,000,000 seniors and people with disabilities rely 
        on Medicare for guaranteed health care benefits;
Whereas Medicare provides access to needed health care, including primary and 
        specialty care, postacute care, preventative services, and prescription 
        drugs;
Whereas Medicare paved the way to improve health equity by requiring 
        desegregation as a condition for hospital participation and continues to 
        focus on delivering equitable care today;
Whereas Medicare is often the only source of health care for nearly all seniors, 
        and before Medicare, nearly half of older Americans had no health 
        insurance, and today, the population has dropped to just 2 percent;
Whereas the median income of Medicare beneficiaries is about $30,000 per year in 
        total from all sources;
Whereas under President Biden's leadership, Medicare beneficiary premiums 
        decreased by $5.20 per month in 2023;
Whereas the Affordable Care Act signed under President Obama added 12 years to 
        the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and improved Medicare plan 
        choices; and
Whereas President Biden has stated that proposals to sunset Social Security and 
        Medicare would put them ``on the chopping block'' by ending the 
        guaranteed right to these benefits and subjecting seniors' most basic 
        economic security to periodic crises as Congress is forced to vote 
        repeatedly to continue Social Security and Medicare: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) affirms its unwavering commitment to protect and 
        strengthen Social Security and Medicare as foundational 
        promises of our society for current beneficiaries and for 
        generations to come;
            (2) guarantees Social Security and Medicare as earned 
        benefits that workers have paid into throughout their careers;
            (3) firmly commits to honor the American people's 
        overwhelming support for strengthening and improving Social 
        Security and Medicare and vigorous opposition to cuts for 
        current and future beneficiaries;
            (4) honors President Roosevelt's vision for Social Security 
        to provide for ``the security of the men, women, and children 
        of the Nation against certain hazards and vicissitudes of 
        life'' and President Johnson's vision for Medicare ``to assure 
        the availability of and accessibility to the best healthcare to 
        all Americans, regardless of age or geography or economic 
        status'';
            (5) rejects any cuts to Social Security and Medicare, 
        including raising the eligibility age, which would devastate 
        the financial security of current and future retirees; and
            (6) condemns commissions, which pave the way for benefit 
        cuts through backroom deals, and privatization of Social 
        Security, which replaces secure and guaranteed benefits with 
        stock market risk and takes money away from the Trust Funds, 
        threatening the ability to pay today's beneficiaries and 
        forcing deep cuts to future retirees.
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