Texas Border Business
By Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15)
In Texas, we grow up learning that your word is your bond. A promise made is a promise kept. I am consistently working to ensure that Congress honors our nation’s promise to protect the 88,042 senior citizens in the 15th District of Texas who rely on Social Security. With one in five elderly Americans having been victims of financial abuse, I use my role on the House Financial Services Committee to push for legislation that lowers this statistic and secures the financial well-being of retirees.
Unfortunately, Social Security benefits are not equal for all Texans. I have heard from too many South Texans who dedicated their lives to both public service, and employment in the private sector, that are unfairly penalized because of the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). I am a proud co-sponsor of H.R. 1205, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2017, which seeks to repeal the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) of title II in the Social Security Act. The WEP authorized deductions from these individuals’ Social Security earnings, essentially breaking our promise to ensure reliable access to the resources and support that they earned. H.R. 1205 would repeal this unfair deduction, providing our public servants and educators with full access to Social Security benefits.
Recently, our nation celebrated the 83rd anniversary of the Social Security program, signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. While this is worth celebrating, I am concerned about the future of this program. That is why I co-sponsored H.R. 1902, the Social Security 2100 Act, which would protect our Social Security system and improve benefits for current and future generations.
I am calling on my fellow colleagues in Congress to come together and pass these legislative items that allow Social Security to continue functioning for the people. The health and well-being of millions of American senior citizens depends on it.
