This week, lawmakers returned to their home states and districts for the holiday recess.
Lawmakers Adjourn for Holiday Recess
After passing legislation to overhaul the tax code last week, lawmakers returned to their home states and districts for the week-long holiday recess. They are expected to return to Washington in the New Year to begin the second session of the 115th Congress.
In the meantime, some lawmakers may be hosting town hall meetings or attending local events in their home states and districts. The Senior Citizens League encourages its supporters to attend these events and to ask important questions of their elected officials, like the following three…
- Due to the massive cost of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the Medicare program could be cut by $25 billion in 2018 and critical programs like Meals on Wheels could see their budgets slashed. Do you believe these cuts should be averted? If not, why?
- Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (WI-1) recently said, “We’re going to have to get back next year at entitlement reform … I think [Medicare is] the biggest entitlement we’ve got to reform.” Do you agree with Speaker Ryan, and if so, what changes to the Medicare program will you support?
- In 2018, Social Security benefits will rise by 2 percent, but most will only see $1 or $2 extra dollars in benefits due to higher Medicare Part B premiums. Do you support bipartisan legislation called the CPI-E Act (H.R. 1251) that would give older Americans a more fair and adequate Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)?
For more information about town hall meetings or events near you during the holiday recess, click HERE. For more sample town hall questions, click HERE.
The Senior Citizens League’s Endorsed Bill Gains Support
Over the past week, several bills endorsed by TSCL have gained support. The Social Security Fairness Act of 2017 (H.R. 1205) gained one new cosponsor in Representative Doris Matsui (CA-6) bringing the cosponsor total to 168. If signed into law, H.R. 1205 would repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) – two Social Security provisions that reduce the earned benefits of millions of public servants each year.
TSCL enthusiastically supports H.R. 1205 and we were pleased to see support grow for the bill this week. For more information on H.R.1205 or other bills that have been endorsed by TSCL, visit the Bill Tracking section of our website HERE.
