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S. 3059Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act

Sponsored by Richard BlumenthalSen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
Introduced October 27, 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 23, 2025 at 8:01 PM UTC

The Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act changes how Social Security cost‑of‑living adjustments are calculated. It requires the agency to use a price index that reflects seniors’ spending (CPI‑E) and to apply whichever index—CPI‑E or the current CPI‑W—produces the larger benefit increase. The rule applies to all major Social Security benefit programs and starts for calculation periods ending after September 30, 2026.

Key Provisions

  • The Social Security Commissioner must use the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI‑E) – or the existing CPI‑W – whichever gives the higher percentage, when calculating cost‑of‑living adjustments (COLAs) for Social Security benefits under titles II, VIII, and XVI.
  • For any pre‑1979 provisions that still apply, the same rule (higher of CPI‑W or CPI‑E) is used, with a minimum 3 % increase when the CPI‑E exceeds CPI‑W by that amount.
  • The Bureau of Labor Statistics must create and publish a monthly CPI‑E that reflects spending patterns of people aged 62 and older.
  • Until the CPI‑E is officially published, the rule will refer to the existing research CPI‑E (R‑CPI‑E) as a placeholder.
  • These changes take effect for COLA calculations for quarters ending on or after September 30, 2026.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

October 27, 2025

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

October 27, 2025

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

October 27, 2025

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued October 27, 2025

II

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 3059

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

October 27, 2025

Mr. Blumenthal (for himself, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Gallego, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Welch, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Reed, Ms. Warren, and Ms. Alsobrooks) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

To amend title II of the Social Security Act to require the Commissioner of Social Security to use the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers for purposes of determining cost-of-living adjustments under titles II, VIII, and XVI of the Social Security Act, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act.

2.

More accurate cost-of-living adjustment

(a)

In general

(1)

In general

Section 215(i)(1)(D) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)(1)(D)) is amended by striking Consumer Price Index and all that follows through such index and inserting Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI–W, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor) or Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI–E, as published by such Bureau) (whichever such index results in the higher percentage under this subparagraph) exceeds the same such index.

(2)

Conforming amendment

Section 215(i)(1)(G) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)(1)(G)) is amended by inserting applicable for purposes of subparagraph (D) after Consumer Price Index.

(b)

Application to pre-1979 law

(1)

In general

Section 215(i) of the Social Security Act as in effect in December 1978, and as applied in certain cases under the provisions of such Act as in effect after December 1978, is amended—

(A)

in paragraph (1)(B), by striking Consumer Price Index and all that follows through such Index and inserting Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI–W, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor) or Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI–E, as published by such Bureau of such Department) (whichever such index results in the higher per centum under this subparagraph) exceeds, by not less than 3 per centum, the same such Index; and

(B)

in paragraph (2)—

(i)

in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking Consumer Price Index for such cost-of-living computation quarter and inserting Consumer Price Index applicable for such year under paragraph (1)(B); and

(ii)

in subparagraph (C)(i), by striking Consumer Price Index as published for any month exceeds by 2.5 percent or more the level of such index and inserting Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers or Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers as published for any month exceeds by 2.5 percent or more the level of such index.

(2)

Conforming changes

Section 215(i)(4) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)(4)) is amended—

(A)

by striking and by section 9001 and inserting , section 9001; and

(B)

by inserting and section 2 of the Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act, after 1986,.

(c)

No effect on adjustments under other laws

Section 215(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(6)

With respect to any provision of law (other than in this title, title VIII, or title XVI) which provides for an adjustment of an amount under such provision of law in the same percentage as a cost-of-living adjustment applied to benefit amounts under this title, such provision of law shall be applied and administered as if the percentage of such cost-of-living adjustment applied to benefit amounts under this title were determined without regard to the amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) of section 2 of the Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act.

.

(d)

Publication of Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers

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 have attained age 62.

(e)

Transition rule

Prior to the publication of the Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI–E) pursuant to subsection (d), the reference to such index made in each of the amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) shall be deemed to be a reference to the research price index prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor known as the Consumer Price Index for Americans 62 years of age and older (R–CPI–E).

(f)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall apply to determinations made with respect to cost-of-living computation quarters (as defined in section 215(i)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)(1)(B))) ending on or after September 30, 2026.