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Congressman Brad Sherman

Representing the 30th District of CALIFORNIA

Fighting for Seniors

  

 

Since coming to Congress, I have worked to preserve Social Security, strengthen pensions, and improve Medicare
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My voting record in Congress against efforts to privatize Social Security and my work to improve Medicare benefits have earned me 100-percent ratings from the National Committee to Preserve Social Security, the Medicare and the Alliance for Retired Americans and AARP

 

Below are some of the issues I am working on in Congress to protect our social security, Medicare and seniors

 

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Opposing Privatization of Social Security

Millions receive Social Security, providing a retirement security they have paid into their whole working lives. Imagine if the efforts to “privatize” and cut Social Security had succeeded in 2005. 

San Fernando Valley seniors would have seen their life-long investments wiped out in the financial meltdown on Wall Street in 2008. Additionally, they would have taken sharp cuts in their monthly Social Security benefits. 

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Social Security and Medicare permit millions of American families to retire with the dignity and security that they worked a lifetime to ensure.

The proposals to privatize Social Security involve lower benefits, unless the beneficiary is willing to select risky investments and happens to select stocks that perform well.

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I remain committed to fighting against efforts to privatize Social Security because he believes it would be irresponsible to replace a guarantee with a gamble.

Social Security belongs to the people who contribute, not the government—it must not be hijacked to pay the federal debt. The money put in should be protected and used only for Social Security.


 

Help for Valley Seniors

My staff is available to help you with questions about Medicare, Social Security, Veterans Benefits or dealing with federal agencies. 

We can assist with Medicare by helping to determine which health care services are eligible for coverage, explaining your prescription drug coverage and investigating reimbursement problems.

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We can provide information about various Social Security programs, including retirement and survivor benefits, disability and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). 

If you have questions or concerns about any of these issues, please contact my Constituent Services Team in my Valley office at (818) 501-9200.


 

Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit

Too many seniors have too much of their savings drained by the need to pay for costly prescription medications.

That's why I have voted against inadequate plans in the past that would not have provided the coverage that seniors need and would require participants to buy Medi-gap insurance from private insurance companies. 

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I voted for the stronger plan, which would provide drug coverage as part of Medicare and would pay 80% of participants’ drug costs until they reach $2000, and 100% of costs over $2000.


 

Protecting Retirement Benefits

Some who receive Social Security benefits or survivor’s benefits discover that the retirement income they counted on has been reduced by technicalities known as “government pension offsets” or “windfall elimination provisions,” because they worked for state or local government. 

Most California teachers and firefighters fall into this category.

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While during much of their careers they worked for government entities which did not participate in Social Security, those affected by this rule also worked for years in private sector employment or are the surviving spouse of someone who did.

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Retirees should receive the benefits they are entitled to based on the contributions they or their deceased spouse paid into the Social Security system.

To fix this problem, and to provide fair treatment for California teachers and firefighters, I co-sponsored the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 1205), which would repeal these pension offsets.


 

More on Fighting for Seniors

Aug 12, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA) voted to send historic, inflation-fighting legislation to the President’s desk. The Inflation Reduction Act will deliver landmark investments that lower families’ kitchen table costs, create millions of good-paying union jobs, combat the climate crisis, and dramatically reduce the deficit.

Jul 1, 2022

Washington, D.C. -- Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) announced today his requests of nearly $20 million in federal funds for projects that will address crucial needs across the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles have been advanced by a key Congressional panel. Last year, Congressman Sherman secured nearly $9 million in federal funding for numerous valley projects and priorities.

Jun 21, 2022

Washington, D.C. — Today, United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Representatives Katie Porter (D-Calif.) and Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Richard K. Delmar, Acting Treasury Department Inspector General, J.

Dec 16, 2020

“At 3pm today, I heard from my Doctor brother-in-law that a large percentage of the Pfizer vaccine was going to waste.

“The vaccine is distributed in vials with enough vaccine for 7 doses. But FDA policies required that each vial should be used for 5 doses, and then discarded.

“I immediately contacted FDA, and within hours Acting Associate Commissioner Andrew Tantillo issued the clarifying guidance set forth below. I have urged the FDA to put this up on its website and get it out to vaccine administrators. Hopefully the press will also get help get the word out.

Dec 1, 2011

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Oct 6, 2011

SHERMAN OAKS, CA – On Tuesday, September 27th, Congressman Brad Sherman (D – Sherman Oaks) hosted a Town Hall meeting at The Village at Sherman Oaks, a senior living community located at 5450 Vesper Ave. 

Apr 6, 2011

Washington, DC -- Congressman Brad Sherman released the following statement concerning the Republican plan to seriously undermine Medicare benefits.

“Earlier this week the House Republican leader on budget issues, Chairman Paul Ryan, released the budget plan of Republicans in the House of Representatives. The plan slashes corporate tax rates and pays for it by slashing Medicare. I agree with the AARP’s condemnation of the proposal.”

The AARP stated on April 5:

Mar 15, 2010

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) released the results of his Federal Issues Questionnaire. The questionnaire was mailed out to approximately 80,000 households in the San Fernando Valley. Thousands of responses have poured into Congressman Sherman’s Washington, DC office since January of this year.

Congressman Sherman surveyed constituents about various issues including health insurance reform and climate change.

Feb 25, 2010

By Congressman Brad Sherman

We need to eliminate waste and abuse so our scarce tax dollars can help provide quality education for our children and protect Social Security and Medicare. That’s why I helped lead the fight against bailing out Wall Street, and why I am currently helping to lead the effort to get all our money back from Wall Street and prevent future bailouts.

However, my chief priority is to get our economy moving again so there are quality jobs in the San Fernando Valley. Here are some ways I am working to improve the well-being of Valley families: