Congresswoman DeLauro stands with Connecticut’s seniors and is a strong supporter of Medicare and Social Security.
Protecting Medicare
The Congresswoman supports a strong Medicare program to ensure we meet the health needs of seniors and opposes policies and budgets that would weaken Medicare. She supported provisions of the Affordable Care Act that improved the program, such as:
- Closing the Medicare Part D ‘donut hole’
- Eliminating out of pocket costs for recommended preventive health services, like annual wellness exams, cancer screenings, and diabetes screenings
- Reducing fraud and abuse in the program
Strengthening Social Security
Congresswoman DeLauro believes that preserving Social Security is part of our moral duty to keep retired Americans from falling into poverty. Social Security was founded on a promise: if you work in America, America will guarantee you a solid foundation for retirement. That is why Congresswoman DeLauro works to strengthen Social Security and opposes privatization critical American cornerstone. She also introduced the Rebuild America Act which will increase Social Security benefits while strengthening the Social Security Trust Fund, ensuring its solvency for generations to come.
Social Security was always meant to be the bedrock of a balanced retirement plan. It guarantees Americans a dignified retirement, even if pensions, investments, and savings fail. Privatization would eliminate the last secure pillar of retirement in America. Congresswoman DeLauro believes we must encourage Americans of all ages to save more of their income for the future, but that these efforts must complement Social Security, not threaten it.
Keeping Seniors Out of Poverty
Social Security has prevented over 50 percent of seniors from falling into poverty. However, women still face greater financial pressures, especially later in life. Seventy percent of the elderly in poverty are women, mainly due to income inequity and lost benefits over a lifetime that result. Congresswoman DeLauro has fought to close the gender wage gap that reduces women’s economic security and believes in valuing all of the work that women do over a lifetime, including caregiving, in determining retirement benefits. She also fights to ensure that critical programs, such as Medicaid and anti-hunger programs, have enough resources to help eligible Connecticut seniors.
