Congress·In Committee·H.R. 1700

House Democrats' Social Security Expansion Act Would Raise Benefits, Extend Coverage to Students Through Age 22

Social Security Expansion Act

about 1 year ago·View on Congress.gov

⏸

Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

Raises Social Security retirement and disability benefits starting Jan. 1, 2026, including a bigger baseline benefit formula for many people.
Changes future Social Security cost-of-living raises to use an inflation measure focused on older adults (CPI-E), which could better match seniors’ costs over time.
Boosts the minimum Social Security benefit for people who worked many years but earned low wages, tied to the poverty guideline and years worked.
Extends Social Security benefits for some children up to age 22 if they are full-time students (especially for kids of disabled workers or deceased workers).
Pays for the changes by adding Social Security payroll taxes on earnings above the usual wage cap and also on earnings above $250,000, plus a much higher tax on investment income. It also combines the two main trust funds into one Social Security Trust Fund.

Social SecurityTaxes

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Negative Impacts(2)

Small Business Owner

Hurts

Gig Worker

Hurts

Positive Impacts(6)

Retiree

Helps

Social Security

Helps

Disability Benefits

Helps

Chronic Illness

Helps

Child Tax Credit

Helps

Student

Helps

Milestones

3 milestones3 actions

Feb 27, 2025House

Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

Feb 27, 2025House

Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Education and Workforce, and Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Feb 27, 2025

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

2026-01-01

Monthly Social Security benefits increase under the new benefit formula

People already receiving retirement or SSDI could see bigger monthly checks, and new claimants would start at the higher benefit level

Weeks to months after Jan 1, 2026

Social Security recomputes many existing benefits to apply the new rules

Some current beneficiaries could get a payment bump after recalculation, which may not happen instantly on January 1 because records must be updated

Related News

1 article

Marshall Independent·about 2 months ago

Advocates outline Social Security expansion during St. Peter town hall

Supporters of the Social Security Expansion Act gathered to explain how the legislation would strengthen the system, increase benefits by $2,400 annually, and improve COLAs using the CPI-E. The bill also seeks to raise minimum benefits to 125% of the federal poverty line.