[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 40 (Monday, March 3, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H925-H926]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        PREEMINENT ANTIPOVERTY PROGRAM FOR ELDERLY AND CHILDREN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Larson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak 
directly about the Nation's preeminent antipoverty program for the 
elderly and the Nation's preeminent antipoverty program for children. 
This is something that Congress and the administration need to focus 
on.
  My colleagues can imagine how many Americans, whether they are here 
today or listening at home, reacted when they heard over the weekend 
that Elon Musk, the wealthiest man in the world, the billionaire, said 
that Social Security is a scam and a Ponzi scheme.
  That Ponzi scheme that assists over 70 million Americans is hardly a 
Ponzi scheme, nor is it a scam. The real scam

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is to tell the American people that you need $2 trillion and assign 
that to a billionaire who has no accountability, did not have to go 
through Senate approval, is not a government employee, and isn't even a 
volunteer. Yet, he is placing his will on a Republican-led Congress in 
both the House and Senate.
  All that is needed is three Republicans to stand up and say: No. Wait 
a minute. This is not what the Nation needs. We do not need to cut 
Social Security benefits. We need to enhance them.
  Mr. Speaker, as my colleagues are aware, in the Speaker's district 
alone, there are 189,000 Social Security recipients who haven't 
received an increase in benefits in more than 50 years. There are 
147,000 retirees, 20,000 disabled workers, 8,700 widows, 3,700 spouses, 
and over 9,000 children who are depending upon Congress to fulfill its 
responsibility and job.
  Furthermore, a fact that most Members don't realize is that, in the 
Speaker's district in Minnesota, $325 million per month goes to those 
Social Security recipients. It hasn't been adjusted in more than 50 
years.
  It is long overdue for Congress and for the citizens of this country 
to demand of their Congress that they take a vote to let the people 
know where they stand. Members should let the people know whether they 
are going to stand with them and the Nation's number one antipoverty 
program for the elderly and children or stand with Elon Musk and Trump 
to make sure that $2 trillion is cut so that it can make way for 
further tax cuts for the Nation's wealthiest 1 percent.
  At over $500 billion, I would think Mr. Musk might say: Do you know 
what? This is a great Nation that has provided me these great 
opportunities. How about we care for them the same way this Nation has 
cared for us?
  He won't lose a moment of sleep at night. For more than 40 million 
Americans, Social Security is the only benefit that they have. Whether 
it is in Minnesota or Connecticut, they will be losing sleep over the 
fact that they are worried about whether or not they are going to be 
able to get their benefits, the thing they rely on to put food on their 
table and to heat and cool their homes.
  This is no extravagant item that people are asking for. This is 
something that they have earned and paid for. Their government 
continues to not act and respond the way that they should do.
  Mr. Speaker, we need a vote. The Speaker owes it to his people. We 
owe it to ours. Let's have a vote and give these individuals the Social 
Security benefits that they need.

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