IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 178 

Affirming the House of Representatives’ commitment to protect and 

strengthen Social Security and Medicare. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 28, 2023 

Mr. KILDEE submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Affirming the House of Representatives’ commitment to 

protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare. 

Whereas Social Security and Medicare have been the foundation of our Nation’s economic and health security, uplifting generations of Americans; 

Whereas nearly all Americans pay into Social Security and 

Medicare throughout a lifetime of work, earning retirement insurance, disability insurance, life insurance, and 

health insurance that ensure the right to benefits when 

needed; 

Whereas, today, more than 66,000,000 seniors, people with 

disabilities, and children rely on Social Security to meet 

their basic needs and live in dignity; 


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•HRES 178 IH 

Whereas Social Security protects workers and their families 

by providing benefits to their children and spouses who 

depend on them when they retire, experience a careerending disability, or die; 

Whereas Social Security benefits are guaranteed to be paid 

for life and are fully protected against inflation through 

automatic cost-of-living adjustments; 

Whereas Social Security is particularly important to people of 

color and women who are less likely to have pensions or 

other savings to help protect against financial insecurity; 

Whereas more than 8,000,000 veterans receive Social Security, and 6,500,000 children depend on Social Security 

because their parent has died, is disabled, or they live in 

a household that receives income from Social Security; 

Whereas, today, more than 63,000,000 seniors and people 

with disabilities rely on Medicare for guaranteed health 

care benefits; 

Whereas Medicare provides access to needed health care, including primary and specialty care, postacute care, preventative services, and prescription drugs; 

Whereas Medicare paved the way to improve health equity by 

requiring desegregation as a condition for hospital participation and continues to focus on delivering equitable 

care today; 

Whereas Medicare is often the only source of health care for 

nearly all seniors, and before Medicare, nearly half of 

older Americans had no health insurance, and today, the 

population has dropped to just 2 percent; 

Whereas the median income of Medicare beneficiaries is 

about $30,000 per year in total from all sources; 


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•HRES 178 IH 

Whereas under President Biden’s leadership, Medicare beneficiary premiums decreased by $5.20 per month in 2023; 

Whereas the Affordable Care Act signed under President 

Obama added 12 years to the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and improved Medicare plan choices; 

and 

Whereas President Biden has stated that proposals to sunset 

Social Security and Medicare would put them ‘‘on the 

chopping block’’ by ending the guaranteed right to these 

benefits and subjecting seniors’ most basic economic security to periodic crises as Congress is forced to vote repeatedly to continue Social Security and Medicare: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) affirms its unwavering commitment to pro3 tect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare as 

4 foundational promises of our society for current 

5 beneficiaries and for generations to come; 

6 (2) guarantees Social Security and Medicare as 

7 earned benefits that workers have paid into through8 out their careers; 

9 (3) firmly commits to honor the American peo10 ple’s overwhelming support for strengthening and 

11 improving Social Security and Medicare and vig12 orous opposition to cuts for current and future bene13 ficiaries; 

14 (4) honors President Roosevelt’s vision for So15 cial Security to provide for ‘‘the security of the men, 


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•HRES 178 IH 

1 women, and children of the Nation against certain 

2 hazards and vicissitudes of life’’ and President John3 son’s vision for Medicare ‘‘to assure the availability 

4 of and accessibility to the best healthcare to all 

5 Americans, regardless of age or geography or eco6 nomic status’’; 

7 (5) rejects any cuts to Social Security and 

8 Medicare, including raising the eligibility age, which 

9 would devastate the financial security of current and 

10 future retirees; and 

11 (6) condemns commissions, which pave the way 

12 for benefit cuts through backroom deals, and privat13 ization of Social Security, which replaces secure and 

14 guaranteed benefits with stock market risk and 

15 takes money away from the Trust Funds, threat16 ening the ability to pay today’s beneficiaries and 

17 forcing deep cuts to future retirees. 

Æ 


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