Older Americans & Seniors

Democrats are steadfast advocates for America’s seniors, their peace of mind, and the issues they care about— including retirement security, Medicare, and the high cost of prescription drugs. While Democrats strongly support Social Security and Medicare and oppose efforts to privatize them, President Trump and Congressional Republicans are proposing to drain the Medicare Trust Fund and undermine Social Security.
 
For years, Democrats have worked to ensure the strength and long-term solvency of those vital programs, so that they can support not just today’s seniors, but the generations to come. Democrats improved and modernized the Social Security program by investing in technology to enable the Social Security Administration to more efficiently process the increasing number of retirees and claims, and by improving the speed and quality of services for retirees. Last Congress, Democrats in Congress helped reauthorize the Older Americans Act, which provides help to seniors including funding vital programs like Meals on Wheels.
 
Democrats also consistently fight to strengthen the Medicare program and help ensure that seniors can see their doctors. The Affordable Care Act extended the fiscal solvency of the Medicare program, while improving Medicare benefits, nursing home care, and chronic disease coverage, and reining in waste, fraud, and abuse. The law also lowers prescription drug costs for seniors by offering discounts of up to 50 percent on prescriptions for those in the Part D coverage gap, and closing the coverage hole completely over the next several years.
 
In contrast, President Trump and Republicans in Congress supported legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with a plan that would discriminate against older Americans, forcing millions off of their coverage and drastically increasing health care costs for millions more.  TrumpCare also cut Medicaid by $800 billion, jeopardizing access to long-term care for seniors in nursing homes, as well as home- and community-based health care services.
 
Democrats’ priorities stand in stark contrast to the Republican budget that makes the wrong choices and attempts to balance the budget on the backs of seniors. We are committed to protecting and strengthening programs that assist seniors and support a balanced approach to deficit reduction that will strengthen the solvency of our entitlements and protect America’s seniors.

Older Americans & Seniors Related
And by nobody, he means the Freedom Caucus…



Really, Speaker Ryan? “Nobody has a problem” with the Upton amendment?

5/3/17
Press Release
Hoyer Statement on Rep. Sandy Levin's Decision to Not Seek Re-Election as Ranking Member on the House Ways and Means Committee

I want to thank my friend Rep. Sandy Levin for his service as Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Committee and, previously, as its Chair.

11/29/16
Press Release
Hoyer: Resolution Disapproving the Fiduciary Rule Is Another Example of the GOP Telling the American People “You’re On Your Own”

House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) spoke at a press conference today with Secretary of Labor Tom Perez, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, and House Democrats in support of the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule. 

4/28/16
Press Release
Hoyer Statement on President Obama's State of the Union Address

“Tonight, President Obama reminded Congress and the nation that what makes America great is the spirit of service and hard work that manifests from realizing we are all bound together by a common cause. ...

1/12/16
Issue Report
Sequester 101: What Republicans’ Continuation of Dangerous Sequester Caps Means for Americans

This week, House Republicans unveiled their budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2016. Congress should be making the tough choices needed to grow our economy and expand middle-class opportunities for American families, while promoting fiscal responsibility.

3/19/15
Press Release
Hoyer Statement on HHS Announcement of Prescription Drug Savings Under Affordable Care Act

Today’s announcement that 8.2 million seniors and Americans with disabilities caught in the Medicare Part D ‘donut hole’ have now saved more than $11.5 billion on prescription drugs since 2010 is further proof that the Affordable Care Act is working as intended to help seniors save money and see their benefits improved.  

7/29/14
Questions for Paul Ryan on his “Poverty Tour”

As Budget Chairman Paul Ryan continues his “poverty messaging tour” today, with both a Budget hearing and CBC meeting, your ever-helpful Democratic Whip press shop put some questions together for you to ask him. There’s a lot to choose from, including his budget that disinvests in the majority of critical programs that prevent poverty and help people get out of it, and a voting record that doesn’t reflect an interest in ending poverty. Here are just a few questions to get you started:

4/30/14
Statement
Hoyer: We Ought to Continue the War on Poverty to Reduce Income Inequality

“I thank the Gentlewoman from California, Barbara Lee for leading this special order and for chairing the House Democratic Whip’s Task Force on Poverty, Income Inequality, and Opportunity.

1/8/14
Press Release
Hoyer Statement on Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Report on Prescription Drug Savings

“Today’s report by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is further evidence that the Affordable Care Act continues to provide access to quality, affordable health care to Americans, including millions of seniors who are saving money on their prescription drugs.  

11/26/13
Social Security Benefits at Risk With More GOP Debt Ceiling Games

While House Republicans continue to deny the implications of not raising the debt ceiling against the advice of bipartisan economists and officials, several government agencies are preparing for the worst. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Social Security Administration is just one of the agencies that could be forced to default on its obligations:

10/7/13
Issue Report
The Reviews Are In: The Republican Budget Continues to Disappoint

The House Republican budget has been officially unveiled, and the reviews aren’t pretty. It appears that the early predictions were correct: while the Republican budget includes no major surprises, it does offer plenty of disappointment. The reaction so far is that the Republican budget cannot be taken seriously, it offers more of the same, targets the most vulnerable and leaves us with unanswered questions.

3/12/13
Press Release
Hoyer Statement on Republican Budget for Fiscal Year 2014

“The Republican budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2014, which Chairman Ryan introduced this morning, once again heaps the burden of deficit reduction onto the backs of those who can least afford it while asking nothing of those at the top.  Yielding to the extreme wing of his party, which has demanded that he balance the budget in only ten years but refuses to consider any new revenues necessary to do so, Chairman Ryan flouts mathematics and fiscal common sense by imposing severe cuts to programs vital to seniors, women, veterans, federal employees, low-income families, and America’s middle class. 

3/12/13