Rep. Summer Lee Celebrates 90 Years of Social Security with PARA
(Photos)
PITTSBURGH, PA – AUGUST 15, 2025 — Congresswoman Summer L. Lee (PA-12) celebrated 90 years of Social Security with local Pennsylvania chapters of the American Association of Retired Persons and Alliance for Retired Americans. Since its creation in 1935, Social Security has become one of the most successful anti-poverty programs in U.S. history, lifting tens of millions of older adults, people with disabilities, and surviving family members out of poverty. Today, it provides a guaranteed source of income to more than 69 million retirees, disabled workers, widows/widowers, and children.
“For nine decades, Social Security has kept roofs over heads, food on tables, and dignity in people’s lives — and unlike some of my colleagues in Congress, Social Security is still doing its job for the people every single day,” said Rep. Lee. “While the Trump Administration and Republicans make broken promises, I will fight to protect Social Security, push for more staffing, and make the rich pay their fair share so that we can expand benefits. I am grateful to organizations like the American Association of Retired Persons and Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans for supporting our local communities here in Western Pennsylvania. Social Security belongs to the people, and we’ll work to ensure its success for years to come.”
On Friday August 15, Rep Lee spoke to members of the Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans (PARA) on the need to protect and strengthen the Social Security Administration, the current threats they face, and how PARA can support its members in the face of uncertainty. PARA educates, organizes, and mobilizes seniors, workers, and unions to protect and advance retirement security for current and future generations. As an arm of the labor movement, it works with labor and community organizations to advocate for social justice. PARA was formed by the AFL-CIO and has nearly 4.5 million members across the country.
"Americans work a lifetime to earn their Social Security benefits. We paid for our benefits, and we paid for the SSA workforce to be there to assist with claims, questions or any problems that arise,” said Mike Crossey, President of the Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans. “There is no better way to celebrate Social Security’s anniversary than fully staffing the SSA, and passing legislation to make the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share into the system."
Photos from the PARA event can be found HERE.
Rep. Lee has earned a 100% Pro-Retiree score (both for 2024 and lifetime) in the Alliance's annual Congressional Voting Record which scores every member of Congress and Senator on 10 floor votes on issues important to older Americans.
Congresswoman Summer Lee serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Accountability and the Committee on Education and Workforce. Since taking office in January 2023, she has delivered historic levels of federal investment totaling over $2.4 Billion brought back to Western PA, including over $580 million for infrastructure, over $110 million for affordable transit, over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing at home in Pennsylvania, and over $55 million on clean energy efforts in and around schools to help keep our kids and communities safe. These investments will help improve Western Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and transit, ensure cleaner air and drinking water, lower housing costs, fund research institutions, fuel clean manufacturing, fund STEM innovation and entrepreneurship, boost workforce development, and create thousands of good paying union jobs. Lee and her team have also delivered casework and constituent services to over 3,000 constituents with issues ranging from helping our seniors and disabled community access Medicare and social security to helping folks secure housing and helping families with immigration support and passports.