On the 8th day of December, 2016, Rep. Sam Johnson, Third Congressional District of Texas, Plano, Texas, introduced H.R. 6489 to essentially cut 27% from the benefits already paid for in the Social Security Trust Fund, which could possibly be worth as much as $5 trillion:
Johnson’s bill includes an assortment of benefit cuts including raising the retirement age to 69 (equivalent to a 13.5 percent across-the-board cut), changing the benefit formula (9 percent average cut), and slashing the cost-of-living adjustment (13 percent average cut). Some long-lived beneficiaries could see cuts of up to 74 percent. . . .
The Johnson bill disproportionally hurts women and low-income workers who had employment gaps due to caregiving and unemployment. And it hurts those who had uneven earnings during their wage-earning years.
Johnson disingenuously claims his plan is motivated by an interest in extending Social Security’s trust fund. But he then turns around and eliminates the taxation of benefits on high earners—the very people who can afford to pay a little more.
www.epi.org
As a woman of a certain age who never made more than $20K a year, and only for one year under Clinton, this is particularly hurtful, particularly as my paycheck has always been pisspoor and I also took time off for child raising, unpaid, I would urge all other women of a certain age who are similarly situated with pisspoor Social Security benefits to give Rep. Sam Johnson a friendly call reminding him of how many women of a certain age in America are watching him:
Sam Johnson, Chair of the House Committee on Social Security:
Mr. Johnson’s DC number is: (202) 225 — 4201.
His Plano TX office phone number is (469) 304 — 0382.
I’m sure that Mr. Johnson would appreciate a call from you all.
And, if you happen to be in the area of Plano, Texas, his Plano office is at:
1255 W. 15th Street
Suite 170
Plano, Texas 75075
Phone: 469-304-0382