Brian Schatz (D-HI)
Safeguarding American Families and Expanding Social Security Act of 2025
A Democratic bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, titled the "Safeguarding American Families and Expanding Social Security Act of 2025," aims to improve retirement security for American families. It proposes increasing Social Security benefits for current and future beneficiaries while strengthening the system for future generations. The legislation changes how taxable wages and self-employment income are determined above the contribution and benefit base. It also adjusts the primary insurance amount formula and includes surplus earnings in benefit determinations. Additionally, the bill introduces a new "Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers" to compute cost-of-living increases.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +9
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
The bill increases monthly benefits and introduces a specialized cost-of-living index for elderly consumers.
- Scored +9
Would retired people be better off under this?
The bill provides benefit increases and a more tailored cost-of-living adjustment via the Elderly Consumer Index.
- Scored +8
Does this strengthen Social Security?
The bill increases benefits for low earners, includes surplus earnings, and adjusts cost-of-living calculations.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Benefit for the Lowest Earners: The bill increases the percentage factor used for the lowest portion of earnings from 90 percent to 95 percent (Section 3(a)). This change would provide higher benefits for those in this earning bracket.
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Inclusion of Surplus Earnings: The bill allows for the inclusion of 5 percent of an individual's surplus average indexed monthly earnings in benefit determinations (Section 3(a)). This is intended to capture earnings that exceed the current contribution and benefit base.
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Benefit Adjustments for Existing Beneficiaries: The Commissioner of Social Security would recompute primary insurance amounts for individuals who became eligible before 2026, effective January 2026 (Section 3(c)).
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Improved Cost-of-Living Adjustments: The bill shifts the computation of cost-of-living increases to use a new "Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers" (Section 4(a)). This index is designed to track expenditures typical for individuals of early retirement age (Section 4(b)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Changes to Taxable Wage Determination: The bill implements an "applicable percentage" for determining taxable wages and self-employment income that decreases over time (Section 2(a) and Section 2(b)). For 2026, this is 80 percent, decreasing by 20 percentage points annually through 2029, and reaching 0 percent by 2030.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would retired people be better off under this? — The bill provides benefit increases and a more tailored cost-of-living adjustment via the Elderly Consumer Index. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill increases monthly benefits and introduces a specialized cost-of-living index for elderly consumers. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill increases the percentage factor for the lowest portion of earnings used to determine benefits. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill provides higher benefit potential for those with earnings above the contribution base. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The bill strengthens the long-term solvency and benefit structure of the Social Security system.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this strengthen Social Security? — The bill increases benefits for low earners, includes surplus earnings, and adjusts cost-of-living calculations.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this cut taxes for small businesses? — The bill reduces the percentage of self-employment income subject to Social Security taxes for those earning above the contribution base. Is this likely to grow the economy? — The bill increases consumer purchasing power for seniors through higher Social Security benefits.
- 8/4/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 12/11/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
John FettermanDemocrat · Pennsylvania