{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-and-whitehouse-seek-to-boost-social-security-benefits-for-seniors", "Reed & Whitehouse Seek to Boost Social Security Benefits for Seniors", "2025-10-28", "2025", "2025-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", "jackreed", "https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 The Trump Administration announced the latest Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) this month: a paltry 2.8 percent increase that is unlikely to keep pace with the cost of surging healthcare premiums and other price hikes fueled by President Donald Trump\u2019s irresponsible tariff policies and tax laws that are geared toward billionaires. This amounts to an average of $52 per month per recipient starting in January 2026. But the projected 11.6 percent increase in Medicare Part B premiums next year would wipe out about 40 percent of the COLA increase for retirees.\n\nOver 70 million Americans receive their earned Social Security benefits, and for 40 percent of older Americans, Social Security is their primary source of income.\n\nThis week, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in introduced the Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act (S.3059). This legislation seeks to protect and expand Social Security benefits for older adults. As Social Security benefits have failed to accurately account for rising costs and inflation, the Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act makes necessary changes to the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) formula, better supporting older Americans who rely on Social Security benefits.\n\n\u201cThis overdue measure makes necessary adjustments to Social Security benefits\u2014more accurately accounting for rising prices and inflation\u2014to better support older Americans,\u201d said Senator Blumenthal. \u201cOur nation\u2019s seniors are struggling to afford basic necessities like food, medication, and clothing, and the overall cost of living index may not reflect their particular needs. This legislation ensures that older Americans have the support they deserve to live with dignity.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Trump Administration is boosting inflation and shortchanging seniors. Rapidly rising costs and health care price spikes mean more Social Security recipients are feeling the pinch. I am concerned the latest COLA is inadequate and seniors on fixed incomes will feel the real value of their Social Security payments decrease. Our seniors deserve a bump in Social Security pay to ensure their purchasing power keeps pace with economic reality,\u201d said Senator Reed. \u201cPresident Trump must join Democrats in trying to get costs under control. We must protect Social Security, strengthen it, and prevent partisan detractors from further undermining it and trying to reduce benefits or cut the COLA altogether.\u201d\n\n\u201cRhode Island seniors pay into Social Security over a lifetime of hard work so they can enjoy a dignified retirement,\u201d said Senator Whitehouse, a founding member of the Expand Social Security Caucus. \u201cAs the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans drive up costs for Rhode Islanders, our commonsense legislation increases benefits and protects the promise of Social Security for future beneficiaries.\u201d\n\nWhitehouse\u2019s Medicare and Social Security Fair Share Act would protect the solvency of Social Security and Medicare for at least 75 years by requiring the nation\u2019s highest earners to contribute a fairer share of their income into the system. Reed and Whitehouse also cosponsored the Social Security Fairness Act, which was signed into law by President Joe Biden in January. The legislation eliminated two policies that reduced Social Security benefits for public service employees.\n\nThe Social Security Administration has paid COLAs since 1975.\n\nThe Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act directs the Social Security Administration to adjust benefits based on the Consumer Price Index for Americans aged 62 or older (CPI-E), whereas current benefits are based off the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners (CPI-W). The CPI-E takes into account more of the costs incurred by older Americans, such as medical expenses\u2014making it more a more reflective index to use when calculating benefits.\n\nForbes.com notes: \u201cWhile the COLA increase is a welcome boost in a small benefit check, not many people realize \u2014 until they receive a Social Security check \u2014 that Medicare premiums are deducted from it. According to projections from AARP published August 12, 2025: 'How Social Security COLA May Increase 2026 Benefits\u2019, premiums could rise nearly 12%, from $185 in 2025 to an estimated $206.50 in 2026. For many retirees, this will offset the COLA. A retiree with a $2,000 monthly benefit might see a gross increase of $54, but after Medicare deductions, the net increase could be as little as $32.50.\u201d\n\nThe legislation is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), John Fetterman (D-PA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Peter Welch (D-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD).\n\nThe Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act is supported by a number of organizations, including: the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Social Security Works, California Alliance for Retired Americans, Alliance for Retired Americans, Justice in Aging, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, National Education Association, National Organization of Social Security Claimants\u2019 Representatives, New York StateWide Senior Action Council, Strengthen Social Security Coalition, and Women\u2019s Institute for a Secure Retirement.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:32:54Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-and-whitehouse-seek-to-boost-social-security-benefits-for-seniors"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0716114193201065, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}