The Social Security Emergency Inflation Relief Act would add $200 per month to Social Security checks until July 2026
The Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act would change the formula used to calculate yearly cost-of-living adjustments to more accurately account for seniors’ expenses
More than four million New Yorkers would benefit from the two bills
Amid skyrocketing prices in President Trump’s America, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) is leading the charge to help seniors and others combat the rising cost of living.
This week, she introduced two bills that would boost monthly benefits for seniors. The first, the Social Security Emergency Inflation Relief Act, would provide a $200 per month increase to Social Security checks until July 2026. This would help account for the increasing cost of essentials—from groceries to medical care—and provide short-term relief to seniors, veterans, and Americans with disabilities who live on fixed incomes. The second, the Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act—which Senator Gillibrand leads—would provide a longer-term fix, protecting and expanding Social Security benefits for older adults by changing the formula used to calculate yearly cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) to better account for the unique expenses older adults face.
“Americans deserve to retire with dignity, not spend their golden years just trying to get by,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Our seniors have spent a lifetime of hard work paying into Social Security, but the payouts simply aren’t keeping up with rising costs, and this year’s annual cost-of-living adjustment is not enough to keep seniors afloat. These two bills would help make sure that older Americans don’t have to choose between paying for medication and buying groceries, providing both short-term relief and long-term solutions. As the top Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, I’m determined to pass these critical bills to make sure our seniors can age comfortably.”
Last week, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that benefits will only increase by 2.8%—equivalent to just $56 extra per month on average. Three out of four Americans aged 50 and older say this is not enough to keep up with rising prices.
The Social Security Emergency Inflation Relief Act—which was introduced today—will help individuals who receive Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Railroad Retirement benefits, veteran disability compensation, Civil Service Retirement System benefits, and veteran pensions keep up with rising costs by adding $200 to their monthly checks for six months. This legislation is led by Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). The text of the Social Security and Emergency Inflation Relief Act can be found here.
The Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act—which was introduced on Monday—provides a longer-term fix by directing the Social Security Administration to adjust benefits based on the Consumer Price Index for Americans aged 62 or older (CPI-E), rather than the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners (CPI-W). The CPI-E more accurately accounts for the actual costs incurred by older Americans, such as medical expenses—making it a more reflective index to use when calculating benefits. In addition to Senator Gillibrand, this bicameral legislation is co-led by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), and Representative Nikki Budzinski (D-IL-13). The text of the Boosting Benefits and COLAs for Seniors Act can be found here.
As ranking member of the Senate Aging Committee, Senator Gillibrand is a staunch supporter of seniors and Social Security. In the face of Trump administration cuts and overhauls at SSA, she has rallied alongside seniors and unions to demand a reversal of staffing and service cuts, advocated against the closure of SSA offices across the country and in White Plains, NY, and, along with other Senate Democrats, sent nearly 200 questions about the impact of Social Security cuts to SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano following his confirmation. Following Senator Gillibrand’s advocacy, SSA reversed its decision to restrict certain phone services that serve as lifelines to beneficiaries seeking to access and maintain benefits. Earlier this year, she also introduced the Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act, vital legislation that would reverse the disastrous Trump administration cuts to SSA. In recent weeks, she has requested updates from Commissioner Bisignano regarding his appointed leadership team’s vision and management plans, and she recommended that they jointly visit an SSA field office in NY so she can evaluate the impact the Trump-era changes have had on SSA response times, communication and outreach to the public.
Senator Gillibrand is also part of Senate Democrats’ Social Security War Room, a coordinated effort to fight back against the Trump administration’s attacks on Social Security and to ensure the American people can continue to rely on these essential programs that they have earned. The War Room coordinates messaging across the Senate Democratic Caucus and external stakeholders; encourages grassroots engagement by providing opportunities for Americans to share what Social Security means to them; and educates Senate staff, the American public, and stakeholders about the Republican agenda and their continued cuts to Americans’ Social Security services and benefits.
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