This week, Members of Congress returned to their home states and districts as both the House and Senate adjourned for a winter recess. Meanwhile, one key bill – the Notch Fairness Act – was reintroduced by Congressman Mike McIntyre (NC-7).
Congress Adjourns for Winter Recess
Both Houses of Congress adjourned this week for a winter recess. Members of the House will return to Capitol Hill on Monday, January 14th, and Members of the Senate are expected back on Monday, January 21st.
Lawmakers will return to Washington with a busy schedule. March 1st marks the expiration of the two-month delay of automatic spending cuts that Members of Congress agreed to in their last-minute Fiscal Cliff deal. In addition, budget experts project that the Treasury will exhaust its borrowing authority sometime between February 15th and March 1st. Members of Congress will need to raise the debt ceiling before then in order for the federal government to continue paying its bills in full and on time.
These looming deadlines are expected to spark another deficit reduction conversation on Capitol Hill, and many Members of Congress are gearing up to target Social Security and Medicare cuts once again. In the coming months, The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) will continue to inform lawmakers about the dangers of cutting benefits, and we will post updates here in the Legislative News section of our website. In addition, we urge you to contact your Members of Congress to let them know how crucial your benefits are to you. You can find contact information for your elected officials HERE.
Notch Fairness Act Reintroduced
This week, Rep. Mike McIntyre (NC-7) reintroduced the Notch Fairness Act (H.R. 155), a bill that would provide Notch victims – those born between the years 1917 and 1926 – with some much-needed compensation. Just years before they were set to retire, these individuals learned that they would have significantly lower benefits than originally anticipated. TSCL feels that this inequity was brought about because of the Social Security Act Amendments that were signed into law in 1977, and we feel that in order to make the program more equitable, some compensation should be provided.
Rep. McIntyre’s bill would do just that, allowing Notch victims to choose between a $5,000 lump-sum payment (payable in four installments) or an increased monthly benefit calculation. TSCL is extremely supportive of the Notch Fairness Act since thousands of our oldest and least affluent members and supporters are Notch victims. TSCL’s legislative team looks forward to working with Rep. McIntyre throughout the 113th Congress to educate both new and veteran lawmakers about the Social Security Notch.
