Rep. Wild Introduces Companion Legislation to Senator Casey’s Social Security Benefit Expansion

This week, Rep. Susan Wild (PA-07) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives mirroring legislation introduced in the Senate by Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey to expand social security benefits, the Surviving Widow(er) Income Fair Treatment (SWIFT) Act.

Together, Rep. Wild and Senator Casey are working to fix gaps in the Social Security benefits system that prevent widows, widowers, and surviving divorced spouses from obtaining the full benefits for which they should be eligible. A patchwork of arbitrary caps and regulations has led to an unacceptable situation in which widows and widowers receiving Social Security benefits are almost twice as likely to be living in poverty compared to retired workers and spouses. If enacted, this legislation could increase benefits for more than one million Americans.

The legislation makes vital improvements to the Social Security benefits system, including:

• Ensuring widow(er)s and surviving divorced spouses with disabilities can receive their full survivor benefits, regardless of their age. Currently, widows and widowers whose disabilities occur after their spouse's passing cannot claim survivor benefits until reaching age 50.
• Providing widow(er)s and surviving divorced spouses the ability to increase the value of their survivor benefits, beyond the current arbitrary cap known as the "widow(er)'s limit."
• Enabling widow(er)s and surviving divorced spouses caring for children to receive child-in-care benefits until their children are age 18 (or 19 if still in school).
• Requiring the federal government to proactively provide information to widow(er)s and surviving divorced spouses about benefits they are eligible for, claiming options, and key deadlines.

"Social Security is an earned right and a lifeline for the American people," said Congresswoman Susan Wild. "My constituents across the Greater Lehigh Valley know that I have been an unwavering champion for protecting, strengthening, and expanding Social Security since they first elected me as their Representative. I have led successful efforts to increase funding for the Social Security Administration throughout my tenure and am proud to partner with Senator Casey to expand these critical benefits. I will never stop working to deliver the first-rate service and robust benefits that my constituents have earned."

"Social Security is a lifeline for many older adults and people with disabilities," said Senator Bob Casey, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. "Yet because of outdated rules that disproportionately affect women, many of those who rely on Social Security the most are not receiving all the benefits they need and deserve. The SWIFT Act will modernize Social Security and help the program keep its promise of a financially secure retirement for all Americans."

"Social Security Works enthusiastically endorses the SWIFT Act, which will dramatically improve the economic security of those devastated by the death of a spouse," said Nancy J. Altman, President of Social Security Works. "Those who are widowed, disproportionately women, frequently suffer a large drop in income and economic security, in addition to the emotional loss. The SWIFT Act will ease the economic blow. Representative Wild is a true champion of the American people. The SWIFT Act is one more sign of her important leadership."

In addition to Social Security Works, the SWIFT Act has been endorsed by the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, Strengthen Social Security Coalition, the National Association of Disability Representatives, the Alliance for Retired Americans, Justice in Aging, the Arc of the United States, the Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement, AFSCME, the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Reps, AFL-CIO, and AFGE.

In the House, the following members have cosponsored the legislation as original cosponsors: Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-12), Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large), Rep. Jim Costa (CA-21)

###