Social Security benefits are considered taxable income despite contributors paying into the system via payroll tax. Representative Cory Mills (R-FL) is cosponsoring a bill initially introduced by Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) to remove the income tax from these benefits, saying on X (formerly Twitter), "We must return the American dream."
Rep. Massie reintroduced the bill last May, describing how, before 1984, Social Security benefits were excluded from taxable income. The Internal Revenue Code 1986 ruled that some of these benefits constituted taxable income.
To counter the resultant revenue loss this bill would induce, additional provisions to Rep. Massie's bill would "appropriate funds from the U.S. Treasury to the Social Security and Railroad Retirement trust funds," as BillTrack50 described.
"Although seniors have already paid tax on their Social Security contributions via the payroll tax, they are still required to list these benefits as taxable income on their tax returns. This is simply a way for Congress to obtain more revenue for the federal government at the expense of seniors who have already paid into Social Security. My bill would exempt Social Security retirement benefits from taxation and boost the retirement income of millions of older Americans," Massie said last May.
Rep. Mills said he was "proud" to cosponsor the reintroduced bill in his X post, saying that it "looks after our seniors and puts an end to the double taxation on social security that so many Americans rely on for food, rent, utilities, and other costs of living."
"We must stop out of control spending, lower inflation, improve affordable housing & healthcare (not sickcare), and decrease costs of living. We must return the American dream," Rep. Mills added.
Iām proud to cosponsor this important piece of legislation that looks after our seniors and puts an end to the double taxation on social security that so many Americans rely on for food, rent, utilities, and other costs of living.
We must stop out of control spending, lowerā¦ https://t.co/iG3Wt57qrw
— Cory Mills (@CoryMillsFL) September 17, 2024
The Florida Congressman's support follows his opposition to House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-LA) plan to attach the SAVE Act, which would reinforce the illegality of non-citizen voting in federal elections, to a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown.
"We need to do our job with the American people. And if we are not if we cannot shut the border down, I am in favor of shutting the government down," Mills said on Capitol Hill recently.
