For decades, Pennsylvanians have paid into Social Security and Medicare with the expectation that, after years of hard work, they would have built a strong retirement. We have a responsibility to ensure seniors can live with dignity, good health, safety, and economic security. That is why I will always oppose any budget cuts or efforts to privatize Social Security and Medicare, and why I have made protecting these programs one of my top priorities in Congress.

Here is what we can do:

● Fully fund Social Security and Medicare. Every step of the way, I will continue working to protect Social Security and prevent dangerous cuts to Medicare. Each year that I have been in Congress, I have successfully secured increased funding for the Social Security Administration (SSA) so that SSA offices have the resources they need to serve our senior communities, and I have worked tirelessly to lower health care costs and give Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices. Now, we’re using those savings to improve Medicare coverage and improve Medicare’s solvency. Most recently, I introduced the Surviving Widow(er) Income Fair Treatment (SWIFT) Act. This legislation will ensure that surviving widow(er)s are able to access the full breadth of their survivor benefits regardless of their age. These are crucial programs that ensure a good quality of life for older Pennsylvanians, and they must be fully funded and expanded

● Protect seniors in crisis. My bill to improve funding for senior meal programs and ensure their continued ability to deliver meals was signed into law as part of the CARES Act in the last Congress. I also passed a bill to make it easier for Medicare recipients to get in-home health care. We cannot abandon the most vulnerable populations among us –– and I will continue to advance legislation to improve the quality of life and care for Pennsylvania seniors.

● Fund critical senior programs. I am proud to have co-led the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, which passed the House unanimously –– with both Democrats and Republicans –– and funds critical senior programs, like Meals on Wheels. It also included my amendment to empower local organizations to develop solutions to combat social isolation and incorporate mental health screenings into senior care, which is one of my top priorities.