Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said Congress still has time to address Social Security’s solvency, telling CNN that “the time is always right to do the right thing.”
Cassidy spoke Friday in an interview with CNN host Kaitlan Collins. He discussed the Republican Party’s midterm losses, U.S. politics, Iran and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Cassidy Says Congress Can Still Act On Social Security, Warns Against Delay
Collins told Cassidy he is in session for 22 days before this Congress will end and asked whether there was enough time to address something that big.
Cassidy said he has been working on a solution for six years, with preparatory hearings completed and legislation drafted. He argued that heavy government borrowing is driving up long-term interest rates, including rates on mortgages and car loans, increasing borrowing costs for Americans. “If you want to do something about affordability, fix social,” he said, adding that reform is important for the financial security of people who depend on Social Security.
He warned that ignoring the issue for another two years would be “criminal in my mind, not technically criminal, a political crime,” and said Congress should be held accountable if it fails to address the program’s solvency.
Cassidy Calls Failure to Save Social Security An ‘Incredible’ Congressional Failure
In an X post, Cassidy wrote: “Congress is meant to serve the needs of the American people, not the other way around. Our job is to focus on the issues that affect their lives. Social Security is one of them. Cassidy added that “Not saving Social Security would be an incredible failure of Congress. Making it a priority is the right thing to do. And the time is always right to do the right thing.”
Trustees See Social Security Shortfall In 2032; Cassidy Proposes $1.5 Trillion Fund
Social Security’s retirement trust fund helps pay benefits to eligible workers and qualifying family members, and trustees said in a June report it will run out in the fourth quarter of 2032, when retirement benefits would be cut by 22%.
Cassidy had proposed a $1.5 trillion “pension investment fund,” separate from the Social Security Trust Fund, to be funded over five years.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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