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The House of Representatives returned from break this week and the Senate will follow suit beginning next week. New co-sponsors have been added to two key bills, and the effort to repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program moves one step closer..The Republicans say that is a form of government price controls and interferes with the free market. That's why Majority Leader McConnell refuses to bring the Grassley-Wyden bill up for debate in the Senate. That bill differs in how it would lower drug prices but Senator McConnell opposes it because it would, in his opinion, still interfere with the free market and also because health care will be a big issue in the elections this year..If the Social Security Guarantee Act is signed into law, all eligible recipients will receive benefit guarantee certificates from the Secretary of the Treasury that would require the payment of full benefits. Additionally, the bill will adopt a measure of inflation that would make annual COLAs more fair and accurate, allowing older Americans to better keep up with rising costs..According to the Senior Citizens League, recipients of Social Security have seen a 30 percent decrease in their buying power since 2000. Additionally, seniors who are enrolled in Medicare Part B programs or own homes have faced particularly large cost increases. This is because COLAs have not kept up with the increase in seniors' expenses and it is simply unacceptable. This needs to change..This week, following a two-day markup, the House Budget Committee advanced a fiscal 2019 budget resolution that would dramatically impact Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid if adopted. The "Budget for a Brighter American Future" includes trillion in spending cuts, and it would balance the budget in nine years..On Thursday, Senate lawmakers passed legislation to suspend the debt ceiling until next spring, fund the government through December 8th, and provide .25 billion in relief to victims of Hurricane Harvey. At the time of writing this week's legislative update, the House had not yet voted on the legislation, but it is expected to pass with bipartisan support by the end of Friday afternoon..How would switching to the chained CPI cut Social Security?.Gift certificates for home-heating oil are likely to be among the most appreciated gift you can give this holiday, says The Senior Citizens League. "That's because it will cost many Americans roughly 26 percent more to fill their home-heating fuel tanks this winter than last," says The Senior Citizens League's Social Security policy analyst Mary Johnson. "For people who rely on Social Security benefits, this will be a particularly challenging expense, since Social Security benefits are only increasing 2.8 percent in 2019," she explains.."Greenspan Calls For Repeal Of All The Bush Tax Cuts," Sewell Chan, The New York Times, August 6, 2010.

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"We write to express our concern and alarm about the dramatic increase in problems with mail delivery that are being experienced by constituents across Maryland. Based on the reports and information we have received; these delays appear to be the result of delayed processing times and staff shortages..You can use the Social Security Administration's earnings test calculator to see how earnings could affect your benefit payments.."In the U.S. arm of the clinical trial, J&J's vaccine was 72% effective, which, in the absence of the mRNA data, 'one would have said this was an absolutely spectacular result,' Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said at a separate White House briefing. What is more, the immunization was 85% effective at preventing severe disease and, in the trial, all hospitalizations and deaths occurred among people who got the placebo. None of the vaccinated people diagnosed with Covid-19 got sick enough to need hospital care. … Continued

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They don't mind paying for Social Security because they value it for themselves..Please note the January 2019 to January 2020 period covered by this study does not include the recent impacts of the coronavirus or the collapse in oil prices..Congressional CornerCongressional Corner: Protecting Against A New Wave of Senior Scams Congressional Corner: Rebuilding the Economy Needs to Include Mobility for Senior Citizens Congressional Corner: Two Social Security Provisions That Need to be Fixed Congressional Corner: We Can Ensure Social Security and Medicare Work. There Are Ways to do Both! Congressional Corner: It's Time for Seniors to get a Fair COLA Congressional Corner: Medicare Should Protect Your Teeth Too! Congressional Corner: Legislation Would Abolish Two Provisions That Reduce Social Security Benefits of Public Employees Congressional Corner: Planning for the Future Congressional Corner: Capping Drug Costs Could Negatively Impact Rural Health Care Systems Congressional Corner: Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Should Never Be a Partisan Issue Congressional Corner: Mediocre For All. Rural Healthcare's Road Trip to Ruin Congressional Corner: To Stay Healthy And Enjoy Retirement Means Protecting Earned Benefits and Cutting Drug Prices Congressional Corner: Two Bills That Would Bring Down High Prescription Drug Costs Congressional Corner: We Cannot Cut Medicare and Medicaid Congressional Corner: As Congress Fights Robocalls, Take Steps to Protect Yourself Congressional Corner: Fighting Back Against Senior Scammers Congressional Corner: It's Time to Tackle the High Cost of Prescription Drugs Congressional Corner: We Need Competition In Prescription Drug Pricing and to Stop Abusive Conduct That Keep Drug Costs High Congressional Corner: It's Time for Seniors to Get a Fair COLA Congressional Corner: Two Social Security Provisions Unfairly Penalize Millions of Teachers, Firefighters and Public Sector Workers … Continued