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Remarks by the President on Comprehensive Immigration Reform in El Paso, Texas, May 10, 201"Senate Democrats Reintroduce Dream Act," Jennifer Steinhauer, The New York Times, May 11, 201"Green Card for a Family Member of a U.S. Citizen," U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, as of May 11, 2011..The provision would ban earnings from jobs worked without legal authorization from being used to determine entitlement to Social Security benefits and for calculating the amount of initial benefits, legislation that TSCL and TSCL's grass roots members have long supported. TSCL's Legislative Assistant, Jessie Gibbons delivered a letter from Chairman, Larry Hyland, expressing TSCL's support for the amendment to Senators Hatch and Rubio..With my first bill, the Save Social Security Act, we are keeping our promise to our seniors and strengthening Social Security. This legislation eliminates the Social Security tax break for people making over 0,000 a year, while maintaining it for income earned from the current cap of 7,200 up to 0,000. This is a fairer way to extend the life of the program. In fact, the Chief Actuary of the Social Security Administration found that my legislation would extend the program's solvency for another 30 years, keeping it on firm financial footing through 206At that point, it would also close 2/3 of the remaining gap, allowing Social Security to still pay 90 percent of benefits..Some states have passed laws that would allow their state to import drugs from Canada. National Public Radio recently reported that the state of Florida wants to establish a pilot program to buy medications from Canada in bulk. The state would contract with a wholesaler in Canada, who would provide certain high cost drugs that the state identifies. Patients in Florida who have a prescription for one of those drugs would just go to their pharmacy to pick up their medication..Last week Politico.com reported that major legislation meant to lower prescription drug prices has run into unexpected trouble in the House of Representatives..The unexpected change received no prior public debate, it went into effect almost immediately, and it hit seniors who were just months away from claiming benefits. In a poll recently conducted by TSCL, 70% of respondents said they viewed the change as an "unnecessary benefit cut" rather than a "closure of an unintended loophole," as portrayed by Congress..In 2016 the COLA was zero and Part B premiums rose by 16.1 percent. In 2017 the COLA was just 0.3 percentage point, and Part B premiums rose by 10 percent. "Those premium spikes were due in large part to the cost-shifting effect created when no COLA was payable," Johnson notes..In addition to rapidly growing Medigap premiums, retirees also must pay for premiums for Medicare Part B and their drug plans. The combination takes a bigger bite out of Social Security benefits and other retirement resources when COLAs fail to keep pace. "The financial drain on benefits is difficult to anticipate, and many retirees don't have adequate savings to begin with," Johnson says..Walden tried to include in previous coronavirus legislation an agreement he and Pallone struck with Sen. Lamar Alexander late in 2019 designed to end "balance billing" practices and cap some out-of-network charges insured patients faced when seeking emergency room care. Senate leaders decided against including this provision in any of the three bills that cleared Congress, according to reports.