PROTECT OUR CHECKS: New Yorkers Celebrate Social Security’s 90th Birthday With Peekskill Rally on National Day of Action

Following Rep. Lawler’s Vote for Cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP, Concerns Grow About Threats to America’s Most Successful Social Program

PEEKSKILL, NEW YORK — This Saturday, in celebration of the 90th Anniversary of Social Security being signed into law, advocates, union leaders, and Peekskill residents gathered in Depew Park for a ‘birthday party’ and rally for America’s most successful social program. Part of the Protect Our Checks national day of action, which saw over 50 rallies held nationwide, the event was a chance for local New Yorkers to get together, share their stories, and organize in defense of the program that has lifted hundreds of millions of American seniors out of poverty.

Advocates, union leaders, and Peekskill residents gathered in Depew Park for a ‘birthday party’ and rally for America’s most successful social program. | CREDIT: Empire State Voices

Despite the overwhelming success and popularity of the universal program, Social Security is currently under threat by Congressional Republicans who would see its funding cut or administration privatized—endangering the benefits of countless New York seniors. Most recently, Congressman Mike Lawler voted for the largest cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP in American history, raising serious concerns that Social Security might be next.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently praised the ‘Trump accounts’ created by the same legislation as a ‘backdoor for privatizing Social Security.’

Social Security is currently under threat by Congressional Republicans who would see its funding cut or administration privatized—endangering the benefits of countless New York seniors. | CREDIT: Empire State Voices

“As a child, my father put us around the radio to hear the fireside chat of the President, FDR,” said Diane, a retiree from Peekskill who celebrated her 102nd birthday last December. “He said: ‘My cabinet and I have decided that you do not want your elderly to die in loneliness and with a lack of survival. We have started a program we are calling Social Security. Social because it covers every single person.’ And we loved it.”

“My dad died when I was thirteen,” said Joyce, a retiree from Garrison. “Social Security pays for people’s children, and that kept my family going through college. We could not have made it without that supplemental income.”

“New Yorkers are starting to worry about the fate of Social Security, which is a critical lifeline that nearly 4 million New Yorkers and their families depend on.” -Dylan Wheeler, ESV | CREDIT: Empire State Voices

“Social Security has been one of the most successful government programs of the last 100 years,” said New York Senator Pete Harckham. “It has provided countless hardworking Americans with a safety net after a long career contributing to our economy. The Trump administration’s attempts to undermine Social Security and deny future generations the hard-earned benefits they deserve after a lifetime of working are emblematic of this administration’s decision to turn its back on regular people to give tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy.”

“Congressman Mike Lawler has repeatedly voted against the interests of his constituents,” said Dylan Wheeler, NY-17 Regional Organizing Director for Empire State Voices. “Just this year, Rep Lawler has voted to cut Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, and more in the interest of extending bigger tax breaks to millionaires, billionaires, and corporations. With that shoddy track record, it’s no surprise that New Yorkers are starting to worry about the fate of Social Security, which is a critical lifeline that nearly 4 million New Yorkers and their families depend on.”

To learn more about Empire State Voices, please reach out to press@empirestatevoices.org

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About Empire State Voices 

Empire State Voices (ESV) is a multi-year campaign dedicated to amplifying the voices of everyday working New Yorkers. ESV is fighting for economic policies that make life more affordable for constituents and holding members of Congress across the state accountable when they fail to do the same.