Today marks the 90th birthday of the Social Security Administration, and AARP, which resides in the same building as CEA on Oak Street in Hartford, held an ice cream social to celebrate. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Congressman John Larson, CEA leadership, including Vice President Joslyn Delancey, and other dignitaries attended to mark the major milestone.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act on August 14, 1935, as part of the New Deal. The idea was simple but revolutionary: provide financial support to older Americans so they wouldn’t face poverty in their later years. Approximately 69 million Americans receive monthly Social Security benefits, totaling about $1.6 trillion this year. Nearly nine out of ten people age 65 and older were receiving a Social Security benefit as of December 31, 2024.
“At 90, Social Security is as youthful as it ever was,” said Senator Blumenthal. “And as important and as critical, because it is the most important, most effective, most reliable anti-poverty program in the country. It keeps children and women out of poverty.”
According to a recent survey conducted by AARP, 80% of Americans are concerned about Social Security being there when they need it and 78% are worried Social Security won’t provide enough to live on in retirement. Congressman Larson says he is leading the charge to not just protect Social Security, but to enhance it through legislation that will unite Americans around improving benefits.
“We’re shrinking the service of Social Security at a time when 10,000 baby boomers a day are becoming eligible,” said Larson. “If Congress does nothing, the date by which Social Security will face insolvency has now moved up a full year. If that happens it will mean a benefit cut across the board of 24%. It’s time for Americans to rise up and make sure that this doesn’t happen.”
Thanks in part to CEA, the Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law this year, fully repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These provisions previously reduced Social Security benefits for individuals who also receive pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security, including teachers.
“We continue to celebrate this momentous win months later and will continue to do so for months and years to come,” said CEA Vice President Joslyn Delancey. “Overturning WEP/GPO has been life changing for many of our retired members, allowing them to reap the benefits of a program they paid money into through other jobs outside of teaching or through their spouse.”
She added, “Our fight for protecting our Social Security benefits is not over as we continue to confront privatization and other threats to this vital program for our members and all Americans.”
