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Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20) today joined his colleagues in the House of Representatives in urging Social Security Administration (SSA) Acting Commissioner Carolyn Colvin to provide a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to Social Security beneficiaries in 2016. In a letter to Colvin, the Members of Congress expressed concern regarding recent reports that beneficiaries may not receive a COLA increase next year, which would further strain the limited resources afforded to the nation’s seniors.

“Social Security is a pledge to hard working Americans that they will retire with the dignity they deserve. The rising cost of simply making ends meet outpaces the meager increases our seniors have received over the years, and to provide no COLA in 2016 would put an undue burden on families in our community. In Congress, I will continue to push a bill that I have introduced to protect Social Security, increase benefits, and make the program stronger for current and future generations,” said Tonko.

In the Capital Region, nearly one in five people – including senior citizens, disabled individuals, and children – rely on Social Security. The COLA is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and is intended to adjust benefits based on increases in the cost of basic necessities.

The 2015 COLA for more than 70 million Americans who paid into the system their entire working lives was a meager 1.7 percent. This marked the third consecutive year in which the increase was less than 2 percent. Beneficiaries saw no COLA increase in 2010 and 2011.

In addition to voting multiple times against an annual raise in his own pay, Congressman Tonko has worked to strengthen Social Security and add decades to the program’s solvency by taking the following actions:

·         Voting against the Ryan Plan: Tonko has voted against every budget plan offered by the Republican House Majority that has aimed to privatize Social Security, increase the retirement age, and cut benefits.

·         Cosponsoring the Strengthening Social Security Act: Tonko is an original cosponsor of the Strengthening Social Security Act of 2013 (H.R. 3118), which would change the way COLAs are calculated to more accurately reflect the costs seniors face, and would keep the program solvent by ensuring payroll taxes apply fairly to every dollar of wages.

·         Introducing the Support Our Seniors COLA Act: In 2011, Tonko authored legislation that would have provided a $250 flat payment to seniors in years there was no COLA, as was the case in 2010 and 2011.

56 Democratic Members of Congress signed onto the letter to Commissioner Colvin. A copy of the message is attached.

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