Preserving and Protecting Social Security
WHEREAS, Social Security is a critical program providing economic stability and dignity to millions of Americans who for more than 80 years have paid taxes believing their Federal Government would honor its commitment to repay what is owed upon retirement, disability and to those surviving spouses and children of individuals who earned benefits; and
WHEREAS, Social Security is a vital pillar of retirement security and a right owed to more than 73 million people who earned these benefits and paid into the Social Security system over a lifetime of hard work and dedication to America; and
WHEREAS, 40 percent of older Americans rely on Social Security for more than 50 percent of their income, and 14 percent rely on Social Security for 90 percent of their income; and
WHEREAS, More than one in three working households age 21 to 64 has no individual savings set aside for retirement and 44 percent of Americans ages 55-64 have no retirement savings accounts and will rely on Social Security; and
WHEREAS, Social Security is essential to the economic stability of our Nation and is unapparelled in its ability to reduce poverty by providing a steady stream of income to retirees, their spouses and children, and the disabled who spend benefits on the necessities of life, contributing an estimated $1.4 trillion a year to the American economy; and
WHEREAS, Access to the Social Security Administration (SSA) is essential to all Americans who apply and who receive retirement benefits, disability benefits and Medicare benefits, using online portals, in-person meetings at local social security field offices and through the SSA call center; and
WHEREAS, In 2024 the SSA had 57,000 employees responsible for administering $1.5 Trillion annually in benefits due and owing to Americans; and
WHEREAS, This Administration has targeted momentous cuts to the SSA and threatens severe cuts to Social Security benefits as well. To date, 5,081 staff have been forced to leave their jobs in response to involuntary layoffs and 7,000 more SSA employees face losing their jobs, 47 SSA field offices slated for closure, with 26 offices to close this year as office leases come up for renewal, according to the Government Services Administration (GSA); and
WHEREAS, This Administration's actions will result in a disruption in SSA services and result in intolerable delay for disability determinations and other Social Security benefits, lack of access to field offices for millions of Americans, significant risk to the security and efficiency of online services and long wait times of days, weeks or months for telephone access; and
WHEREAS, A 2024 Inspector General's report found that less than 1 percent of Social Security payments were improper, and two-thirds of that amount has been recovered, directly contradicting unfounded claims by the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that there is waste, fraud and abuse at the SSA and having no basis in reality; and
WHEREAS, The number of people applying to receive their social security benefits is steadily increasing as more "Baby Boomers" seek retirement. With increasing demand and staffing cuts, SSA will be unable to provide services that ultimately lead to an interruption or unfounded denial of benefits to those who have earned them.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Resolution builds upon previous resolutions including the 2005 Resolution titled, "NAACP's Position on Proposed Changes to Social Security".
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) will speak out in every forum available to it against these unfounded claims against the SSA, including cuts that make it impossible to serve the public well.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP stands firm against all efforts to privatize Social Security and against any attempts to raid the Social Security Trust Fund.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NAACP will advocate to Members of Congress against all efforts that render the SSA less effective, any efforts to cut benefits, including any effort that does not support expanding the Social Security Trust Fund.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP will stand in opposition to any effort to undercut the SSA and protect the legal rights of Americans to their Social Security benefits in the courts of law.