H.R. 2365House111th Congress (2009-2011)In Committee

Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act of 2009

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

6 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities.

June 11, 2009

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

May 12, 2009

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to House Ways and Means

Ways and Means Committee

May 12, 2009

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor, 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.

May 12, 2009

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to House Energy and Commerce

Energy and Commerce Committee

May 12, 2009

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to House Education and Labor

Education and Workforce Committee

May 12, 2009

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Health Subcommittee

May 13, 2009

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities.

June 11, 2009

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 2365 on the floor

1 Democrat

Rep. Rush HoltD-NJ-12 · Dec 14, 2010

Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of the Seniors Protection Act of 2010, I rise to express support for this important bill. Last week, the House had the opportunity to provide relief for millions of…

Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of the Seniors Protection Act of 2010, I rise to express support for this important bill.

Last week, the House had the opportunity to provide relief for millions of seniors, veterans, and disabled individuals.

For 75 years, and through numerous recessions, Social Security has been a steady source of income. Since 1975, Congress has implemented automatic cost-of-living-adjustments for Social Security to guarantee that Social Security benefits are protected against the effects of inflation.

The cost-of-living-adjustment for Social Security is calculated automatically using data on inflation published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and is not a deliberate decision by Congress. I support a fairer cost-of-living calculation for Social Security in order to keep pace with the actual increases in the true costs of living for seniors. That is why I am a cosponsor of H.R. 2365, the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act of 2009, which would change the calculation of the cost-of-living-adjustment for Social Security to reflect consumption patterns which are typical for seniors.

For the first time ever, there will be no automatic cost-of-living- adjustment for Social Security for the second consecutive year. Since there was no cost-of-living-adjustment increase for 2010, the formula used to calculate the adjustment required a comparison with 2008 costs, a year when prices were historically high. Even through the average costs of health care, food, and other essentials did increase this year compared to 2009 that was not considered by the formula. Unfortunately, this resulted in no increase in monthly benefits for millions of Americans who depend on Social Security, SSI, VA Pension and Compensation, and Railroad Retirement for the second year in a row while their real costs of living have gone up.

American seniors, disabled workers, and survivors or spouses and children of retired or disabled workers rely on Social Security benefits. For example, 60 percent of American seniors rely on Social Security for a majority of their income and 30 percent of seniors rely on Social Security for more than 90 percent of their income. With Social Security benefits being modest, only $14,000 for the average retiree, the lack of a cost-of-living-adjustment is troubling.

The Seniors Protection Act of 2010 would provide Social Security beneficiaries with a one-time payment of $250 to offset the lack of a cost-of-living-adjustment. This bill would provide relief for 54 million seniors, veterans, and disabled individuals. In my state of New Jersey, this bill will provide assistance to over 1.5 million individuals.

Since its inception in 1935, Social Security has provided a guaranteed benefit to hundreds of millions of retired and disabled workers and their families. For seniors, Social Security has provided financial security, independence, and dignity in their retirement years. I believe that Congress has a duty to ensure that their benefits are protected.

Congress had a chance to provide relief to millions of Social Security beneficiaries with a one-time $250 payment. Unfortunately, Republicans blocked this measure that would have provided much needed relief to our seniors, veterans, and disabled Americans.

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Introduced in HouseIssued May 12, 2009

111th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2365

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 12, 2009

Mr. DeFazio (for himself, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Waxman, Mr. McHugh, Mr. Oberstar, Mrs. Emerson, Mr. Boren, Mr. Platts, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Hall of New York, Mr. Kildee, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Wilson of Ohio, Mr. Costello, Mr. Carney, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Kucinich, and Mr. Stark) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce and Education and Labor, 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

A BILL

To require the establishment of a Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers to compute cost-of-living increases for Social Security and Medicare benefits under titles II and XVIII of the Social Security Act.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act of 2009.

Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers

(a)

In general

The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor shall prepare and publish an index for each calendar month to be known as the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers that indicates changes over time in expenditures for consumption which are typical for individuals in the United States who are 62 years of age or older.

(b)

Effective date

Subsection (a) shall apply with respect to calendar months ending on or after July 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which this Act is enacted.

(c)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

Computation of cost-of-living increases

(a)

Amendments to title II

(1)

In general

Section 215(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)) is amended—

(A)

in paragraph (1)(G), by inserting before the period the following: , and, solely with respect to any monthly insurance benefit payable under this title to an individual who has attained age 62, effective for adjustments under this subsection to the primary insurance amount on which such benefit is based (or to any such benefit under section 227 or 228) occurring after such individual attains such age, the applicable Consumer Price Index shall be deemed to be the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers and such primary insurance amount shall be deemed adjusted under this subsection using such Index; and

(B)

in paragraph (4), by striking and by section 9001 and inserting , by section 9001, and by inserting after 1986, the following: and by section 3(a) of the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act,.

(2)

Conforming amendments in applicable former law

Section 215(i)(1)(C) of such Act, as in effect in December 1978 and applied in certain cases under the provisions of such Act in effect after December 1978, is amended by inserting before the period the following: , and, solely with respect to any monthly insurance benefit payable under this title to an individual who has attained age 62, effective for adjustments under this subsection to the primary insurance amount on which such benefit is based (or to any such benefit under section 227 or 228) occurring after such individual attains such age, the applicable Consumer Price Index shall be deemed to be the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers and such primary insurance amount shall be deemed adjusted under this subsection using such Index.

(3)

Effective date

The amendments made by paragraph (1) shall apply to determinations made with respect to cost-of-living computation quarters ending on or after September 30 of the second calendar year following the calendar year in which this Act is enacted.

(b)

Amendments to Title XVIII

(1)

In general

Title XVIII of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) is amended—

(A)

in section 1814(i)(2)(B), by inserting (i) for accounting years ending before October 1 of the second calendar year following the calendar year in which the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers Act was enacted, after for a year is, and by inserting after fifth month of the accounting year the following: , and (ii) for accounting years ending after October 1 of such calendar year, the cap amount determined under clause (i) for the last accounting year referred to in such clause, increased or decreased by the same percentage as the percentage increase or decrease, respectively, in the medical care expenditure category (or corresponding category) of the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, from March of such calendar year to the fifth month of the accounting year;

(B)

in section 1821(c)(2)(C)(ii)(II), by striking consumer price index for all urban consumers (all items; United States city average) and inserting Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers;

(C)

in section 1833(h)(2)(A)(i), by striking Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (United States city average) and inserting Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers;

(D)

in section 1833(i)(2)(C)(i), by striking Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (U.S. city average) and inserting Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers;

(E)

in each of subparagraphs (K), (L), and (M) of section 1834(a)(14), by striking consumer price index for all urban consumers (U.S. urban average) and inserting applicable consumer price index;

(F)

in section 1834(h)(4)(A)(x), by striking consumer price index for all urban consumers (United States city average) and inserting Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers;

(G)

in section 1834(l)(3)(B), by striking consumer price index for all urban consumers (U.S. city average) and inserting Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers;

(H)

in section 1839(i)(5)(A)(ii), by striking Consumer Price Index (United States city average) and inserting Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers;

(I)

in section 1842(s)(1), by striking consumer price index for all urban consumers (United States city average) and inserting Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers;

(J)

in each of subparagraphs (D)(ii) and (E)(i)(II) of section 1860D–14(a)(3) and in each of clauses (i) and (ii) of section 1860D–14(a)(4)(A), by striking consumer price index (all items; U.S. city average) and inserting Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers;

(K)

in section 1882(p)(11)(C)(ii), by striking Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (all items; U.S. city average) and inserting Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers;

(L)

in each of clauses (iv) and (vi)(II) of section 1886(h)(2)(E), by striking for all urban consumers; and

(M)

in section 1886(h)(5)(B), by striking Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (United States city average) and inserting Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers.

(2)

Effective date

The amendments made by paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to determinations made for periods ending after December 31 of the second calendar year following the calendar year in which this Act was enacted.