HR 241 — A Resolution urging the Congress of the United States to adopt H.R. 1876, the "Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act," H.R. 1877, the "Protecting Americans' Social Security Data Act," and S. 770, the "Social Security Expansion Act."

PRINTER'S NO.   1776

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 241
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY WAXMAN, GREEN, GIRAL, HILL-EVANS, PIELLI,
        HOHENSTEIN, HOWARD, DONAHUE, PROBST, BURGOS, McNEILL,
        SANCHEZ, MAYES, HADDOCK, WARREN, D. MILLER, SHUSTERMAN,
        PARKER, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, RIVERA AND CIRESI, MAY 29, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGING AND OLDER ADULT SERVICES,
        MAY 29, 2025


                                 A RESOLUTION
 1   Urging the Congress of the United States to adopt H.R. 1876, the
 2      "Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act," H.R. 1877, the
 3      "Protecting Americans' Social Security Data Act," and S. 770,
 4      the "Social Security Expansion Act."
 5      WHEREAS, For 90 years Social Security benefits have been the
 6   best protection against Americans falling into poverty; and
 7      WHEREAS, Approximately 70 million Americans receive monthly
 8   Social Security benefits with annual total benefits paid out
 9   equaling approximately $1.6 trillion; and
10      WHEREAS, More than 11,000 Americans reach retirement age each
11   day; and
12      WHEREAS, Nearly 3 million Pennsylvanians receive Social
13   Security benefits annually, including more than 2.3 million
14   Pennsylvanians over 65 years of age, disabled workers, widowers,
15   spouses and children; and
16      WHEREAS, Social Security benefits paid to Pennsylvania
17   beneficiaries on a monthly basis exceed $5.3 billion, injecting
 1   more than $60 billion into Pennsylvania's economy every year;
 2   and
 3         WHEREAS, Pennsylvania Social Security recipients receive an
 4   average monthly benefit of approximately $1,979, while the
 5   median monthly benefit in Pennsylvania is $1,946; and
 6         WHEREAS, Social Security is under attack in Washington, DC;
 7   and
 8         WHEREAS, In just the last few weeks, Elon Musk, the world's
 9   richest man, called Social Security "the biggest Ponzi Scheme of
10   all time"; and
11         WHEREAS, The Acting Commissioner of the Social Security
12   Administration (SSA) handed the private, personal data of
13   millions of Americans to operatives of the Department of
14   Government Efficiency (DOGE) and then threatened to shut down
15   the agency when a judge blocked the move; and
16         WHEREAS, The Acting Commissioner of the SSA announced that
17   7,000 employees, or 12% of the agency staff, are being cut,
18   plans to close 6 out of 10 regional Social Security offices and
19   47 field offices, and announced, and then delayed for two weeks,
20   plans that would make it more difficult for people to access
21   benefits by reducing customer phone service options for
22   beneficiaries; and
23         WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's Social Security recipients are both
24   furious and anxious about this attack on the program and its
25   impact on their economic security; and
26         WHEREAS, Pennsylvania retirees, and other beneficiaries, use
27   their monthly Social Security checks to pay for basic
28   necessities like housing and food; and
29         WHEREAS, The SSA's announced actions relating to staffing and
30   office closures will make it harder for beneficiaries to access

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 1   benefits or customer services and will have the same impact as
 2   if benefits are cut; and
 3      WHEREAS, Staffing at the SSA has fallen to a 50-year low
 4   while workloads have increased; and
 5      WHEREAS, Neighborhood Social Security offices and employees
 6   have faithfully served the public in communities across the
 7   country since 1935; and
 8      WHEREAS, Twenty percent of staff in local SSA offices are
 9   veterans; and
10      WHEREAS, There are 56 Social Security offices across
11   Pennsylvania; and
12      WHEREAS, Local Social Security offices staffed with trained
13   civil servants provide service to millions of Pennsylvanians and
14   depend on nearby offices for filing benefits, resolving problems
15   with payments and work records, generating Social Security
16   numbers and providing replacement Social Security cards, income
17   and award letters and applications for retirement, disability
18   and SSI; and
19      WHEREAS, Closing local Social Security offices will make it
20   harder for Pennsylvania retirees and other beneficiaries to
21   access their benefits - benefits they paid for and earned when
22   they were working; therefore be it
23      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
24   Commonwealth of Pennsylvania strongly urge the Congress of the
25   United States to adopt H.R. 1876, the "Keeping Our Field Offices
26   Open Act," H.R. 1877, the "Protecting Americans' Social Security
27   Data Act," and S. 770, the "Social Security Expansion Act"; and
28   be it further
29      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
30   Commonwealth of Pennsylvania stand shoulder to shoulder with the

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 1   retirees and Social Security beneficiaries, across Pennsylvania
 2   and the nation, who are fighting for their financial future and
 3   the benefits they earned through a lifetime of work; and be it
 4   further
 5      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
 6   Commonwealth of Pennsylvania unite in its opposition to the
 7   SSA's plan to close local Social Security offices and cut staff;
 8   and be it further
 9      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
10   Commonwealth of Pennsylvania support robust staffing and local
11   office facilities to serve the public in a timely manner in
12   Pennsylvania and across the nation; and be it further
13      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
14   Commonwealth of Pennsylvania oppose Federal cuts to Social
15   Security benefits; and be it further
16      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
17   Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with one clear voice, demand the
18   Trump Administration, Elon Musk, DOGE and Congress to keep their
19   hands off Social Security; and be it further
20      RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
21   each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.




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