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To find contact for your Members of Congress or to sign a petition, visit the ACTION CENTER of our website. To find information on key bills and issues, click HERE..Research conducted by Johnson for The Senior Citizens League has found that Social Security benefits have lost 34 percent of their buying power since 2000 because the index used to calculate the annual cost-of-living-adjustment increase doesn't adequately factor in the cost increases experienced by retirees. In 2000, for example, it cost 5 to fill up a 500-gallon home-heating oil tank. The average benefit amount in 2000 was 6, leaving older homeowners with 1 to put toward other household expenses. Today, it costs about ,640 to fill the same oil tank, but those who received benefits of 6 in 2000 only receive ,193.10 in 201"That leaves older consumers digging into savings or borrowing to make up the difference of 6.90," Johnson says. "The Social Security loss of buying power for 2018–2019 appears likely to continue to get worse.".According to a report from the Senate Special Committee on Aging released this year, older Americans lose approximately billion each year to financial scams and abuse. It's appalling. It's offensive. It's unacceptable. And I'm working to do something about it..Even if your income or assets are slightly higher than the guidelines, you should still apply. That's because certain kinds of resources may not be counted. States figure your income and assets differently, so you may be eligible in your state. When determining eligibility, your countable assets include checking or savings accounts, stocks and bonds. Your home, and one car, will not be counted.."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..The more you learn about the COLA, however, the more the anemic annual boosts of our past decade raise questions. The very first COLA ever paid was 77%. No, you read that right, this is not a typo. It became payable in 1950, one year before I was born, and a full ten years after Ida May Fuller received the nation's very first Social Security benefit check for .54 - the equivalent of 0.90 today..According to studies performed for TSCL, many Notch Babies, particularly those who rely on Social Security for most, if not all of their income, are at risk for living near or below the federal poverty level. For example, Notch Babies who retired in 1984 at age 65 with average benefits of 0 per month would receive about ,839 this year. In the 48 contiguous states and Washington DC, that's only 8% above the federal poverty guidelines..Major Findings.Senate Appropriators Approve Funding Bill