{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/brown-to-reintroduce-harkin-bill-to-strengthen-benefits-extend-life-of-social-security-next-year", "Brown to Reintroduce Harkin Bill to Strengthen Benefits, Extend Life of Social Security Next Year", "2014-12-09", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OH", "Sherrod Brown", "B000944", "www.brown.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "During Senate Finance Committee Hearing Today, Brown Announces He Will Reintroduce Sen. Harkin\u2019s Strengthening Social Security Act \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tTuesday, December 9, 2014\n            \n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 During a Senate Finance Committee hearing today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced plans to reintroduce legislation that would strengthen benefits for seniors and extend the life of Social Security.\r\n\u201cAmerican seniors have had a steadfast ally in Senator Harkin. He has led the fight to ensure that people who work hard can retire with dignity,\u201d Brown said. \u201cBut with even middle-income seniors relying on Social Security for at least two-thirds of their retirement income, it\u2019s critical that we advance the Strengthening Social Security Act \u2013 expanding benefits, strengthening the program\u2019s future, and making retirement more secure for all Americans.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\r\nNext year, Brown will reintroduce the Strengthening Social Security Act \u2013 championed by U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) who will retire at the end of the month. The bill would extend the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund, which nearly two in three Americans rely on for at least half of their income in old age.\r\n\u201cI could not be more pleased that Senator Brown has decided to champion this legislation in the next Congress. Senator Brown\u2019s commitment to Social Security is unrivaled, and seniors should be thrilled to have an ally like Senator Brown on their side,\u201d said Harkin. \u201cSocial Security is the most successful government program in our nation\u2019s history and this legislation will make it even stronger for generations to come.\u201d\r\nThe current legislation, which Brown cosponsored, would:\u00a0\r\n \r\nStrengthen Benefits by Reforming the Social Security Benefit Formula;\r\nEnsure that Cost of Living Adjustments Adequately Reflect the Living Expenses of Retirees; and\r\nImprove the Long Term Financial Condition of the Trust Fund.\r\n \r\nAs chairman of the Finance Committee's Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions and Family Policy, Brown has held a series of hearings on the current retirement crisis and Social Security\u2019s fundamental role in retirement security. In May 2014, Brown chaired a hearing entitled \u201cStrengthening Social Security to Meet the Needs of Tomorrow\u2019s Retirees,\u201d that examined how Social Security can be expanded to meet the retirement crisis. In Feb. 2014, Brown chaired the first Congressional hearing on the \u201cmyRA\u201d retirement plan for low- and middle-income workers that was proposed by President Obama in his 2014 State of the Union Address. In Dec. 2013, Brown\u2019s hearing examined \u201cThe Role of Social Security, Defined Benefits, and Private Retirement Accounts in the Face of the Retirement Crisis\u201d and addressed the decline of defined benefit plans, the emergence of defined contribution plans, and Social Security\u2019s fundamental role in retirement security.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tPress Contact\n\t\t\t\t\tMeghan Dubyak/Lauren Kulik\r\n(202) 224-3978", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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": ["http://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/brown-to-reintroduce-harkin-bill-to-strengthen-benefits-extend-life-of-social-security-next-year"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8940543048083782, "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"}