To: The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate
Tell Congress: CEOs got a raise. Seniors & veterans deserve one too.
On January 1st, for just the third time since 1975, seniors who receive Social Security won’t be getting an annual cost of living increase. Neither will millions of other Americans whose veterans’ benefits, disability benefits, and other monthly payments are pegged to Social Security. Please pass the Seniors and Veterans Emergency Benefits Act (SAVE Benefits Act) to give seniors and veterans a one-time 3.9% payment in 2016 -- the same raise that America's top CEOs received last year.
Why is this important?
Two-thirds of retirees depend on Social Security to pay for the basics, to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads – but seniors who usually get a small boost on January 1st won’t see an extra dime next year.
The Seniors and Veterans Emergency Benefits Act (SAVE Benefits Act), cosponsored by Elizabeth Warren, Barbara Mikulski, Patty Murray, Chuck Schumer, Bill Nelson, Debbie Stabenow, Maria Cantwell, Bernie Sanders, Sherrod Brown, Bob Casey, Sheldon Whitehouse, Jeff Merkley, Kirsten Gillibrand, Al Franken, Dick Blumenthal, Chris Murphy, Mazie Hirono, Tammy Baldwin, and Ed Markey, would:
- Provide seniors & veterans an emergency one-time 3.9% payment in 2016 (approx. $581/person). 3.9% is the average raise that America's top CEOs received last year.
- Fully cover the cost of increased payments by closing the tax loophole that allows corporations to write off obscene executive bonuses as a business expense for “performance pay.”
- Extend the life of Social Security by bolstering the Social Security and Disability trust funds.
So let’s do it. Let’s close the loophole and let’s use the money to give seniors and vets the support they need on January 1st. Tell Congress that America supports the SAVE Benefits Act.