1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I am writing regarding Social Security with a suggestion that payments NOT be referred to as “Federal Benefit Payments.” For almost 50 years, Social Security taxes were deducted from every paycheck I earned. I worked throughout my life, even when the jobs were not always the ones I wanted. I paid into the Social Security system every payday, as did my employers. Social Security is not a handout, welfare, or a gift from the federal government. It is not an “entitlement” program in the way Speaker Johnson implied; It is earned retirement income that workers have paid for over the course of their careers. Calling it a “Federal Benefit Payment” misrepresents what it is and diminishes the contributions made by millions of Americans. If there are concerns about the long-term financial stability of Social Security, there is a straightforward solution: raise or eliminate the cap on earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes. Today, high earners stop paying Social Security taxes once their wages exceed the annual taxable maximum, while most workers pay on every dollar they earn all year long. Requiring higher earners to contribute on more of their earnings would strengthen the program without reducing the retirement income that workers have earned. Please protect Social Security, preserve the benefits workers have paid for, and consider raising or eliminating the payroll tax cap to help ensure the program remains strong for current and future retirees.