Democrats Seek McConnell's Cooperation On Social Security Assistance

UPDATE (3:15pm): A spokesman for McConnell responded to Reid’s letter by pointing out that a dozen Democrats voted against the proposal when it was introduced as an amendment back in March. Two of these Democrats, Michael Bennet (Colo.) and Russ Feingold (Wis.), currently find themselves in hotly contested re-election races…

WASHINGTON — Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) wrote to his counterpart today asking for GOP support on helping social security recipients who will not receive cost-of-living adjustments next year.

In a letter to Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Reid urges the Republican to support Democratic legislation that would provide one-time $250 checks to seniors in 2011.

“Since 1975, when the formula for determining Social Security COLAs was signed into law, Social Security recipients have never gone two consecutive years without a cost-of-living increase,” Reid writes. “Given the fact that Social Security provides the majority of income for two-thirds of the elderly population in the United States…the lack of a COLA will make it especially difficult for our nation’s seniors to pay for the increased costs of healthcare, prescription drugs and other life and death needs.”

The Social Security Administration announced last week that due to the nation’s low rate of inflation, monthly benefits for seniors would remain steady next year. The Democrats’ proposal to mail a round of individual checks was included in President Obama’s 2009 stimulus package.

In his letter, Reid frames the issue for the GOP as a choice between either helping out seniors, or those earning high incomes.

“We hope that you will agree with us that it is far more important to provide $250 in emergency relief to senior citizens and disabled veterans than it is to provide an average tax break of over $100, 000 a year to taxpayers earning more than $1 million a year,” he writes.

Republicans have vowed to fight for an extension of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for all Americans, while Democrats want renewed tax relief only for those making under $200,000 per year. Lawmakers are expected to work on legislation following the November 2 elections.

Reid’s letter was co-signed by 18 other Senate Democrats, including Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) who, according to polls, trails Republican candidate John Boozman in her race for re-election.