NATIONAL COMMITTEE TO PRESERVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE
111 K Street NE SuiTE 700, WASHINGTON, DC 20002 www.ncpssm.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: THE COMMITTEE HAS TWO PRIMARY PURPOSES: (A) BRINGING ABOUT CIVIC BETTERMENT AND SOCIAL IMPROVEMENT, AND PROMOTING THE COMMON GOOD AND GENERAL WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE BY SUPPORTING THE CONTINUATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE AMERICAN SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE SYSTEMS AND WORKING TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE FEDERAL OLD AGE AND SURVIVORS, DISABILITY AND HOSPITAL TRUST FUNDS; AND (B) EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON SUBJECTS BENEFICIAL TO THE COMMUNITY INCLUDING THE IMPORTANCE OF AMERICA'S SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM.

THE MISSION OF THE COMMITTEE IS TO PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE BENEFITS TO ALL COMMUNITIES AND GENERATIONS.

LEGISLATION: The election of the new House Majority made cuts to earned benefits in the 116th Congress (2019-2020) unlikely. Absent threatening legislation, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare has focused the fiscal year on bills beneficial to older Americans. For example, during the first nine months of the fiscal year, the National Committees Government Relations and Policy (GRP) Department worked with the House leadership to pass legislation to control prescription drug costs, improve Medicare benefits, and push for the approval of legislation to improve benefits and extend the solvency of Social Security. In addition, we began our efforts to support the campaigns of pro-Social Security and Medicare congressional candidates and incumbents during the 2020 election cycle. The National Committees main legislative accomplishments include: - On May 16, 2019, by a vote of 234 to 183, the House of Representatives adopted H.R. 987, the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act. The bill would contain the cost of prescription drugs by increasing the availability of generic drugs; stabilizes the Affordable Care Acts marketplaces and strengthens pre-existing conditions protections in the 2010 health care reform law. The National Committee played a key role in helping to pass the bill in the House. - On December 11, 2019, the House Committee on Ways and Means passed H.R. 5306, the Know Your Social Security Act, which would require the Social Security Administration to resume annual mailing of Social Security statements to all of the estimated 150 million American workers who are eligible to receive them, and have not otherwise accessed them through their online My SSA account. The National Committee played a key role in helping to pass the bill in the Ways and Means Committee. - On December 12, 2019, by a margin of 230 to 192, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. The bill would allow the Health and Human Services Department to negotiate prices for certain drugs with pharmaceutical manufacturers on behalf of Medicare; requires drug companies that raised the price of a drug in Medicare above the rate of inflation since 2016 to either lower the price or pay the entire price above inflation in a rebate back to the Treasury; creates a $2,000 Medicare beneficiary annual out-of-pocket cap for prescription drugs spending and provides partial coverage for Medicare hearing, dental and vision services. The National Committee played a key role in helping to pass the bill in the House. - On September 25, 2019, the Senate Committee on Finance passed S. 2543, the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2019. The bill would force pharmaceutical manufacturers to rebate Medicare if they raise their prices for drugs covered by Medicare Parts B and D faster than inflation and would establish a beneficiary out-of-pocket spending limit of no more than $3,100 a year on drug costs. The National Committee played a key role in helping to pass the bill in the House. - In support of the passage of H.R. 3 and further action on S. 2543, the National Committee launched an advocacy and education campaign called Dont Cut Pills, Cut Profits. As part of the campaign, the NC and AARP held joint prescription drug price townhall meetings with seniors in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Portland, Oregon. Speakers who participated in the events included local members of Congress, a lieutenant governor, mayor, key state legislators, AARP/National Committee leadership and prescription drug policy/legislative staff. Crowd building for the townhalls were achieved through mail and email invitations sent to National Committee and AARP members, paid and earned media and grassroots outreach by our on-the-ground field organizer - In March 2020, the National Committee worked with coalition partners to keep President Trumps proposal to cut Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes out of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act (P.L. 116-136) and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (P.L. 116-127). Testimony before Congress - On April 8th, 2019, National Committee President and CEO Max Richtman testified before the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security hearing on Comprehensive Legislative Proposals to Enhance Social Security, including H.R. 860, the Social Security 2100 Act. - On July 23, 2019, President Richtman submitted testimony for the record of a House Committee on Ways and Means hearing on the Social Security 2100 Act. Events Throughout the NC FY, GRP staff met by phone with Lambda Legal attorney Karen L. Loewy regarding the National Committees participation as a plaintiff in a court case regarding Social Security survivor benefits eligibility for same sex couples who were never able to marry because the partner passed away before the marriage ban where they lived had been struck down. In April, GRP staff participated in a townhall meeting on Social Security held by Representative Steven Horsford (D-NV) and John Larson (D-CT) in Las Vegas, NV. In May, National Committee staff attended the National Voices of Medicare Summit held by the Center for Medicare Advocacy at the Kaiser Family Foundation. Max Richtman spoke at a meeting of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee (DSOC) attended by most Democratic Senators. President Richtman and GRP staff attended a lunch meeting of the Womens National Democratic Club featuring Representative John Larson (D-CT) as a guest speaker. In June, President Richtman participated in a Senate DSOC presser on prescription drug prices held by Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). He also participated in a presser held by Social Security Subcommittee Chairman John Larson (D-CT) on the Social Security 2100 Act. In August, Max Richtman participated in a townhall meeting held by Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY). At the summer meeting of the Democratic National Committee in San Francisco, President Richtman was a speaker at the DNC Seniors Council meeting. In September, NC staff attended a meeting of the Social Security Advisory Board. In October, Max Richtman moderated the National Committees first Dont Cut Pills, Cut Profits townhall meeting held with AARP in Milwaukee, WI. Speakers at the townhall included Representative Gwen Moore (D-WI), Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes (D-WI), State Senator Tim Carpenter (D-WI), Milwaukee Mayor (and former member of Congress) Tom Barrett (D-WI) and National Committee and AARP staff. NC staff spoke at a health care fair held by the National Active and Retired Federal Employee Association (NARFE) Leisure World Chapter in Silver Spring, MD. In November, Max Richtman moderated the National Committees second Dont Cut Pills, Cut Profits townhall meeting held with AARP in Portland, OR. Speakers at the townhall included Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), State Representatives Rachel Prusak (D-OR) and Andrea Salinas (D-OR), AARP Oregon State Director Ruby Haughton-Pitts and Judy Knawls Boyer, Chapter President of AARP N/NE Portland, OR. President Richtman participated in a tele-townhall meeting with Representative Marci Kaptur (D-OH). In December, Max Richtman and NC staff participated in a DNC Seniors Council meeting with DNC Chairman Tom Perez. President Richtman participated in a tele-townhall meeting held by Representative Lois Frankel (D-FL). GRP staff participated in a presser on H.R. 3 held by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Richard Neal (D-MA) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) in the Rayburn room of the Capitol Building. In January, NC staff attended a presser in the Dirksen Senate Office Building to oppose the Social Security Administration rule on the Social Security Disability Insurance Continuing Disability Rule process. Coalitions During FY 2020, the National Committee participated in monthly meetings for the: - Leadership Council of Aging Organizations (LCAO), including the LCAOs Health and Income Security committees. - Strengthening Social Security Coalition (SSSC) Steering Committee. - Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Social Security Taskforce. In the last few months of FY 2020, GRP began preparing for the transition of the chairpersonship of LCAO from AARP to the National Committee.

EDUCATION: MEDIA INTERVIEWS: GRP staff were interviewed by Fox News Radio in Washington, DC (twice); WBAL NBC TV in Baltimore, MD; RFD-TV in Nashville, TN; WYPR radio in Baltimore, MD; WMKV radio in Springdale, OH (twice); ProPublica in Washington, DC; WMNF radio in Tampa, FL; WDEV radio in Waterbury, VT; WCLO radio in Janesville, WI (twice); WDJT CBS TV in Milwaukee, WI; WMTJ radio in Milwaukee, WI; National Journal in Washington, DC; KEX radio in Portland, OR; KXL radio in Portland, OR; KGW NBC TV in Portland, OR; WJIM radio in Lansing, MI; WKAR radio in Lansing, MI (twice); WOC radio in Davenport, IA; WYCB radio in Silver Spring, MD (twice); WTMA radio in Charleston, SC; and KAZM radio in Sedona, AZ Volunteer Engagement The National Committee held monthly volunteer calls with activists, drafted and distributed Grassroots Weekly Updates to inform volunteers, and responded to volunteer requests for materials, literature, and information to promote engagement. Capitol Action Team (CATs) events (The CATs is a group of DC-based National Committee activists that regularly participate in rallies and media events on Capitol Hill and the DC metropolitan area): - In April 2019 attended the House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security hearing on Social Security benefit expansion. - In June 2019 attended a Senate Democratic press conference on Capitol Hill about the need to lower prescription drug prices by allowing Medicare to negotiate. Former National Committee staffer John Glazer spoke at the presser. - In July 2019 attended the House Committee on Ways and Means hearing on the Social Security 2100 Act. Worked with NCPSSM volunteers and activists to encourage them to call, email and visit their members of Congress to urge them to support the Social Security 2100 Act, and the Medicare Negotiation and Competitive Licensing Act, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, and lobby against any payroll tax cut in the coronavirus relief legislation. Our national volunteers held grassroots events and performed community outreach in New Hampshire, Florida, Colorado, Ohio, and Michigan. Policy Papers National Committee policy papers (excluding updates of the large volume of existing documents): - April 2019: Analysis of the 2019 Social Security Trustees Report. - January 2020: How NAFTA 2.0 Could Have Affected Drug Prices - February 2020: The Presidents FY 2021 Budget - March 2020: Summary of Key Provisions in Bipartisan Coronavirus Bill Agreement Congressional Meetings National Committee met with the following members of Congress and/or their staff: - Special Senate Committee on Aging Democratic Staff: Met nearly monthly with the committee minority staff director and her colleagues along with other representatives of Leadership Council of Aging Organization chairing organizations. - April: Met with House Democratic Leadership staff and Representative Debbie Dingell. - May: Max Richtman and GRP staff met with members of Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security and a team of graduate students from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government to discuss the latters comprehensive Social Security reform proposal. Met with staff of Representative Jan Schakowksy. Also met with Representative Tom OHalleran (D-AZ). - June: Met with Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security Democratic staff to discuss Social Security Administration services. Met with Senate Committee on Health Education, Labor and Pensions staff on the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act. Also met with Representatives Diane DeGette (D-CO), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Gwen Moore (D-WI). - July: Participated in a conference call with Special Senate Committee on Aging Democratic Staff to discuss Social Security legislation being drafted by Senator Robert Casey (D-PA). Attended a meet and greet with House Committee on Energy and Commerce staff. - August: Met with Senators Corey Booker (D-NY) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Representative Tim Ryan (D-OH) at the DNC meeting in San Francisco. Met with staff of Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Senate Committee on Appropriations staff. - September: Met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her staff to discuss the Houses consideration of prescription drug price legislation. Met with Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security staff and other advocates to discuss H.R. 4540, Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision reform legislation. Also met with Representative Katie Hill (D-CA), Ann Kuster (D-NH), Susie Lee (D-NV) and Joe Neguse (D-CO). - September-December: Met seven times with Representative John Larson (D-CT) to discuss advancing the Social Security 2100 Act. - October: Met with the staff of Representative Ron Kind (D-WI) to discuss the Social Security 2100 Act. With the DNC Seniors Council, met with Representative Jan Schakowsky to discuss the seniors bill of rights. Also met with Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Representative Mikie Sherill (D-NJ). - November: Met with Representatives Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) and Tom Suozzi (D-NY). - December: Met with the staff of Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-MA). Also met with Representatives Sean Casten (D-IL) and Stephanie Murphy (D-FL). - February: Met with Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Lucy McBath (D-GA) and Raul Ruiz (D-CA). - March: Met with the staff of Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) to discuss the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs and Homeland Securitys hearing of S. 2733, the TRUST Act. Also met with Representative Anthony Brindisi (D-NY). Congressional Letters The National Committee wrote the following letters to members of Congress: - May 2019: Letter to the House endorsing the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act. - June 2019: Letter to the House Committees on Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means to provide comments on Medicare Part D legislation. - July 2019: Letter to the Senate Committee on Finance supporting the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act. - October 2019: Letters to the House Endorsing the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019 and urging approval of the Social Security 2100 Act before Thanksgiving recess. - December 2019: Letter Urging the House to Vote for the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. - January 2020: Letter to the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs and Homeland Security expressing concern about the TRUST Act. - March 2020: Letter to the House and Senate opposing the Social Security payroll tax cut proposal.

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