84 Years Ago Today the First Social Security Beneficiary Got Her Check
Ida Mae Fuller in 1940
The following article is reprinted from the Social Security Administration (SSA) website www.ssa.gov
The First Social Security Beneficiary
Ida May Fuller was the first beneficiary of recurring monthly Social Security payments. Miss Fuller (known as Aunt Ida to her friends and family) was born on September 6, 1874 on a farm outside of Ludlow, Vermont. She attended school in Rutland, Vermont where one of her classmates was Calvin Coolidge. In 1905, after working as a school teacher, she became a legal secretary. One of the partners in the firm, John G. Sargent, would later become Attorney General in the Coolidge Administration.
Ida May never married and had no children. She lived alone most of her life, but spent eight years near the end of her life living with her niece, Hazel Perkins, and her family in Brattleboro, Vermont.
Miss Fuller filed her retirement claim on November 4, 1939, having worked under Social Security for a little short of three years. While running an errand she dropped by the Rutland Social Security office to ask about possible benefits. She would later observe: “It wasn’t that I expected anything, mind you, but I knew I’d been paying for something called Social Security and I wanted to ask the people in Rutland about it.”
Her claim was taken by Claims Clerk, Elizabeth Corcoran Burke, and transmitted to the Claims Division in Washington, D.C. for adjudication. The case was adjudicated and reviewed and sent to the Treasury Department for payment in January 1940. The claims were grouped in batches of 1,000 and a Certification List for each batch was sent to Treasury. Miss Fuller’s claim was the first one on the first Certification List and so the first Social Security check, check number 00-000-001, was issued to Ida May Fuller in the amount of $22.54 and dated January 31, 1940.
NCPSSM “Tremendously Disappointed” by House Budget Committee Vote
Rep. Jody Arrington (R-TX) chairs the House Budget Committee
The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare is tremendously disappointed in the House Budget Committee’s vote to favorably report the Fiscal Commission Act of 2023 out of committee. This is the final step in the legislative process before the bill comes to the House floor for a vote.
“A fiscal commission is designed to give individual members of Congress political cover for cutting Americans’ earned benefits. Any changes to Social Security and Medicare should go through regular order and not be relegated to a commission unaccountable to the public and rushed through the Congress. This bill should be opposed by any member of Congress who cares about Social Security, Medicare, and the constituents who depend on them. – Max Richtman, president and CEO, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
This bill is designed to rush the Commission’s recommendations, which would inevitably prioritize deep cuts to Social Security and Medicare, through Congress so they can be enacted before the American people have a chance to study them and understand how they would be affected. The bill’s goal of avoiding political accountability is made clear as H.R. 5779 prohibits the issuance of the Commission’s recommendations prior to election day and provides that the ensuing legislation would come to the floor during the lame-duck Congress. In this scenario, representatives who are leaving Congress at the end of the year could vote to cut American’s earned benefits — without having to face voters again.
NCPSSM believes that Social Security and Medicare should be reformed. But the process must be deliberative and fully accessible to the public. The committees with jurisdiction over Social Security and Medicare should hold hearings, develop legislation that improves – not cuts – benefits. The future of these critical programs must not and should not be determined as part of a budget cutting exercise.
Members of Congress should understand that fiscal commissions that force changes to Americans’ hard-earned benefits will – and should not – fool the voters. President Biden has rightly called such commissions “death panels” for Social Security and Medicare. We urge all House members who claim to champion these vital programs for seniors to reject the Fiscal Commission Act.
Congress Shouldn’t Enact “Death Panels” for Social Security & Medicare
NCPSSM sent a letter to Congress today urging representatives to reject the Fiscal Commission Act of 2023. This bill would establish a commission that would circumvent Congress’ regular order for considering Social Security and Medicare changes. The bill will be marked up in the House Budget Committee on January 18.
Commissions of this kind are intended to squeeze every possible dollar of savings out of Social Security and Medicare without consideration for the adequacy of benefits during their deliberations. They are intended as a maneuver for enacting deep cuts to these critical programs that could never pass Congress through the normal legislative process because of their unpopularity with the voting public.
“A fiscal commission is designed to give individual members of Congress political cover for cutting Americans’ earned benefits. Any changes to Social Security and Medicare should go through regular order and not be relegated to a commission unaccountable to the public and rushed through the Congress.” – Max Richtman, president and CEO, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
This bill is designed to rush the Commission’s recommendations, which would inevitably prioritize deep cuts to Social Security and Medicare, through Congress so they can be enacted before the American people have a chance to study them and understand how they would be affected. The bill’s goal of avoiding political accountability is made clear as H.R. 5779 prohibits the issuance of the Commission’s recommendations prior to election day and provides that the ensuing legislation would come to the floor during the lame-duck Congress. In this scenario, representatives who are leaving Congress at the end of the year could vote to cut American’s earned benefits — without having to face voters again.
NCPSSM believes that Social Security and Medicare should be reformed. But the process must be deliberative and fully accessible to the public. The committees with jurisdiction over Social Security and Medicare should hold hearings, develop legislation that improves – not cuts – benefits. The future of these critical programs must not and should not be determined as part of a budget cutting exercise.
Members of Congress should understand that fiscal commissions that force changes to Americans’ hard-earned benefits will – and should not – fool the voters. President Biden has rightly called such commissions “death panels” for Social Security and Medicare. As NCPSSM’s president and CEO, Max Richtman, said, “The Fiscal Commission Act of 2023 should not have a mark-up, come to the floor for a vote, or, frankly, see the light of day.”
NCPSSM Endorses Tim Kaine for Re-election to U.S. Senate
On behalf of our 28,000 members and supporters in Virginia, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare today proudly endorsed Tim Kaine for re-election to the U.S. Senate in Fredericksburg, VA on Friday. Senator Kaine has proven himself time and again as a leader on issues affecting Virginia seniors. He earns a 100% rating on our legislative scorecard for his steadfast championing of Social Security, Medicare, and lower prescription drug prices.
“I have known Tim Kaine for over 15 years now, and I have been consistently impressed by his commitment to working families and seniors. He has always been close to his own elderly parents — and understands the importance of retirement and health security for all Virginia families. Underpinning all of this are the values of hard work, fairness, and family that he has demonstrated so well during his first two terms in Washington.” – Max Richtman, President and CEO, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
Senator Kaine accepted NCPSSM’s endorsement Friday morning at a town hall at Chancellor’s Village, a senior living facility in Fredericksburg. National Committee president and CEO Max Richtman handed the Senator a pair of NCPSSM’s signature boxing gloves to recognize his championing of seniors.
“I’m honored to receive the endorsement of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare because I am determined to stand up for Virginia seniors and lower costs. Virginians should have access to affordable health care and be able to retire with dignity – which has been and will continue to be my priority in the U.S. Senate.” – Senator Tim Kaine
Virginians can continue to count on Senator Kaine to protect their hard-earned benefits. There are some 1.6 million Social Security beneficiaries in Virginia. The average benefit for Virginia retirees is nearly $1,900 per month, or about $23,000 a year. Senator Kaine knows that Virginians living on fixed incomes cannot afford cuts to their hard-earned benefits, which key Republicans (including contenders for the GOP presidential nomination) have proposed.
Senator Kaine greets supporters at town hall event in Fredericksburg, VA
Senator Kaine also will continue to fight prescription drug price gouging by Big Pharma, as he has during the 118th Congress. He supported the Inflation Reduction Act, which finally allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies — and caps seniors’ out-of-pocket drug costs under Medicare Part D at $2,000 per year. Virginians are now beginning to see those benefits realized, including a $35 cap on monthly insulin costs.
The Inflation Reduction Act passed the Senate by one vote. Without the vote of Senator Kaine, Virginians would not have the benefits of this historic drug pricing reform. There is plenty more work to be done in the next Congress — and that is why we need Tim Kaine in the Senate to fight for older Virginians and their families.
FDR Would Be “Fighting Mad” About Assaults on Social Security, Says Grandson on New Podcast
President Franklin D. Roosevelt would be “fighting mad” about conservative attempts to undermine Social Security, says his grandson, Jim Roosevelt on the first episode of our new podcast — released this week. Roosevelt says that FDR would not only be mad. “We’d see him actively pressuring Congress” to support Social Security — and working to elect lawmakers who champion his legacy program — in the face of myriad proposals to cut and privatize it.
The podcast, “You Earned This,” debuted on multiple platforms — including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon/Audible. It is available to listen and download for free. Each episode covers a single topic with a single guest. Because we know that listeners have a limited amount of time, this podcast is designed to be “bite-sized.” Episodes are no longer than 15 minutes each, making for a brisk and brief listening experience!
In this episode, Jim Roosevelt says that the Social Security Administration (SSA), which is responsible for administering benefits for 71 million people, cannot be expected to service the public properly without adequate funding. Customers have experienced long wait times on the 800 phone line, field office closures, and extended delays in adjudication of disability claims hearings — all due to a 17% cut (adjusted for inflation) in operating budget since Tea Party Republicans took control of the House beginning in 2011.
“First of all the budget cuts that took place at the time of the Tea Party really devastated the workforce. (Employee morale has suffered) because if you tell people you have this huge amount of work to do and we’re not going to give you anybody to help you do it, they get very dissatisfied.”
Roosevelt expressed optimism that the putative new SSA Commissioner, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, would advocate for more funding and make other improvements to shore up customer service. O’Malley is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate on December 18th.
Roosevelt criticizes Republicans who propose to raise the retirement age for Social Security to 69 or 70, including presidential candidate, Nikki Haley. Roosevelt says her intention to cut benefits for people now in their 20s and 30s — including her adult children — is plain “crazy.”
“Our kids (are) not going to have a lower cost of living than retirees do today. Social Security already is an adequate benefit, but not a generous benefit. In fact, if anything, it should be increased, not cut for future generations.” – Jim Roosevelt, 12/14/23
He also rails against Republican proposals for a fiscal commission to decide the fate of Social Security (and Medicare), including House Speaker Mike Johnson’s pledge to create such a commission. Those commissions, Roosevelt tells us, are “a black box” designed to let individual lawmakers off the hook for proposing to cut seniors’ earned benefits.
He also reminisced about conversations he had as a teenager with grandmother, Eleanor Roosevelt. (Jim Roosevelt was born after his grandfather, FDR, passed away.) He describes the former first lady as a passionate advocate for women’s rights, including women’s retirement security. Eleanor, he says, was equally dedicated to preserving Social Security so that, in the words of FDR, “no damn politician” could ever take it away.
Our next guest is NCPSSM senior health policy expert, Anne Montgomery, breaking down the Disadvantages of Medicare Advantage. That episode will be released on December 21st!
To listen to the “You Earned This” podcast, click here.
84 Years Ago Today the First Social Security Beneficiary Got Her Check
Ida Mae Fuller in 1940
The following article is reprinted from the Social Security Administration (SSA) website www.ssa.gov
The First Social Security Beneficiary
Ida May Fuller was the first beneficiary of recurring monthly Social Security payments. Miss Fuller (known as Aunt Ida to her friends and family) was born on September 6, 1874 on a farm outside of Ludlow, Vermont. She attended school in Rutland, Vermont where one of her classmates was Calvin Coolidge. In 1905, after working as a school teacher, she became a legal secretary. One of the partners in the firm, John G. Sargent, would later become Attorney General in the Coolidge Administration.
Ida May never married and had no children. She lived alone most of her life, but spent eight years near the end of her life living with her niece, Hazel Perkins, and her family in Brattleboro, Vermont.
Miss Fuller filed her retirement claim on November 4, 1939, having worked under Social Security for a little short of three years. While running an errand she dropped by the Rutland Social Security office to ask about possible benefits. She would later observe: “It wasn’t that I expected anything, mind you, but I knew I’d been paying for something called Social Security and I wanted to ask the people in Rutland about it.”
Her claim was taken by Claims Clerk, Elizabeth Corcoran Burke, and transmitted to the Claims Division in Washington, D.C. for adjudication. The case was adjudicated and reviewed and sent to the Treasury Department for payment in January 1940. The claims were grouped in batches of 1,000 and a Certification List for each batch was sent to Treasury. Miss Fuller’s claim was the first one on the first Certification List and so the first Social Security check, check number 00-000-001, was issued to Ida May Fuller in the amount of $22.54 and dated January 31, 1940.
NCPSSM “Tremendously Disappointed” by House Budget Committee Vote
Rep. Jody Arrington (R-TX) chairs the House Budget Committee
The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare is tremendously disappointed in the House Budget Committee’s vote to favorably report the Fiscal Commission Act of 2023 out of committee. This is the final step in the legislative process before the bill comes to the House floor for a vote.
“A fiscal commission is designed to give individual members of Congress political cover for cutting Americans’ earned benefits. Any changes to Social Security and Medicare should go through regular order and not be relegated to a commission unaccountable to the public and rushed through the Congress. This bill should be opposed by any member of Congress who cares about Social Security, Medicare, and the constituents who depend on them. – Max Richtman, president and CEO, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
This bill is designed to rush the Commission’s recommendations, which would inevitably prioritize deep cuts to Social Security and Medicare, through Congress so they can be enacted before the American people have a chance to study them and understand how they would be affected. The bill’s goal of avoiding political accountability is made clear as H.R. 5779 prohibits the issuance of the Commission’s recommendations prior to election day and provides that the ensuing legislation would come to the floor during the lame-duck Congress. In this scenario, representatives who are leaving Congress at the end of the year could vote to cut American’s earned benefits — without having to face voters again.
NCPSSM believes that Social Security and Medicare should be reformed. But the process must be deliberative and fully accessible to the public. The committees with jurisdiction over Social Security and Medicare should hold hearings, develop legislation that improves – not cuts – benefits. The future of these critical programs must not and should not be determined as part of a budget cutting exercise.
Members of Congress should understand that fiscal commissions that force changes to Americans’ hard-earned benefits will – and should not – fool the voters. President Biden has rightly called such commissions “death panels” for Social Security and Medicare. We urge all House members who claim to champion these vital programs for seniors to reject the Fiscal Commission Act.
Congress Shouldn’t Enact “Death Panels” for Social Security & Medicare
NCPSSM sent a letter to Congress today urging representatives to reject the Fiscal Commission Act of 2023. This bill would establish a commission that would circumvent Congress’ regular order for considering Social Security and Medicare changes. The bill will be marked up in the House Budget Committee on January 18.
Commissions of this kind are intended to squeeze every possible dollar of savings out of Social Security and Medicare without consideration for the adequacy of benefits during their deliberations. They are intended as a maneuver for enacting deep cuts to these critical programs that could never pass Congress through the normal legislative process because of their unpopularity with the voting public.
“A fiscal commission is designed to give individual members of Congress political cover for cutting Americans’ earned benefits. Any changes to Social Security and Medicare should go through regular order and not be relegated to a commission unaccountable to the public and rushed through the Congress.” – Max Richtman, president and CEO, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
This bill is designed to rush the Commission’s recommendations, which would inevitably prioritize deep cuts to Social Security and Medicare, through Congress so they can be enacted before the American people have a chance to study them and understand how they would be affected. The bill’s goal of avoiding political accountability is made clear as H.R. 5779 prohibits the issuance of the Commission’s recommendations prior to election day and provides that the ensuing legislation would come to the floor during the lame-duck Congress. In this scenario, representatives who are leaving Congress at the end of the year could vote to cut American’s earned benefits — without having to face voters again.
NCPSSM believes that Social Security and Medicare should be reformed. But the process must be deliberative and fully accessible to the public. The committees with jurisdiction over Social Security and Medicare should hold hearings, develop legislation that improves – not cuts – benefits. The future of these critical programs must not and should not be determined as part of a budget cutting exercise.
Members of Congress should understand that fiscal commissions that force changes to Americans’ hard-earned benefits will – and should not – fool the voters. President Biden has rightly called such commissions “death panels” for Social Security and Medicare. As NCPSSM’s president and CEO, Max Richtman, said, “The Fiscal Commission Act of 2023 should not have a mark-up, come to the floor for a vote, or, frankly, see the light of day.”
NCPSSM Endorses Tim Kaine for Re-election to U.S. Senate
On behalf of our 28,000 members and supporters in Virginia, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare today proudly endorsed Tim Kaine for re-election to the U.S. Senate in Fredericksburg, VA on Friday. Senator Kaine has proven himself time and again as a leader on issues affecting Virginia seniors. He earns a 100% rating on our legislative scorecard for his steadfast championing of Social Security, Medicare, and lower prescription drug prices.
“I have known Tim Kaine for over 15 years now, and I have been consistently impressed by his commitment to working families and seniors. He has always been close to his own elderly parents — and understands the importance of retirement and health security for all Virginia families. Underpinning all of this are the values of hard work, fairness, and family that he has demonstrated so well during his first two terms in Washington.” – Max Richtman, President and CEO, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare
Senator Kaine accepted NCPSSM’s endorsement Friday morning at a town hall at Chancellor’s Village, a senior living facility in Fredericksburg. National Committee president and CEO Max Richtman handed the Senator a pair of NCPSSM’s signature boxing gloves to recognize his championing of seniors.
“I’m honored to receive the endorsement of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare because I am determined to stand up for Virginia seniors and lower costs. Virginians should have access to affordable health care and be able to retire with dignity – which has been and will continue to be my priority in the U.S. Senate.” – Senator Tim Kaine
Virginians can continue to count on Senator Kaine to protect their hard-earned benefits. There are some 1.6 million Social Security beneficiaries in Virginia. The average benefit for Virginia retirees is nearly $1,900 per month, or about $23,000 a year. Senator Kaine knows that Virginians living on fixed incomes cannot afford cuts to their hard-earned benefits, which key Republicans (including contenders for the GOP presidential nomination) have proposed.
Senator Kaine greets supporters at town hall event in Fredericksburg, VA
Senator Kaine also will continue to fight prescription drug price gouging by Big Pharma, as he has during the 118th Congress. He supported the Inflation Reduction Act, which finally allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies — and caps seniors’ out-of-pocket drug costs under Medicare Part D at $2,000 per year. Virginians are now beginning to see those benefits realized, including a $35 cap on monthly insulin costs.
The Inflation Reduction Act passed the Senate by one vote. Without the vote of Senator Kaine, Virginians would not have the benefits of this historic drug pricing reform. There is plenty more work to be done in the next Congress — and that is why we need Tim Kaine in the Senate to fight for older Virginians and their families.
FDR Would Be “Fighting Mad” About Assaults on Social Security, Says Grandson on New Podcast
President Franklin D. Roosevelt would be “fighting mad” about conservative attempts to undermine Social Security, says his grandson, Jim Roosevelt on the first episode of our new podcast — released this week. Roosevelt says that FDR would not only be mad. “We’d see him actively pressuring Congress” to support Social Security — and working to elect lawmakers who champion his legacy program — in the face of myriad proposals to cut and privatize it.
The podcast, “You Earned This,” debuted on multiple platforms — including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon/Audible. It is available to listen and download for free. Each episode covers a single topic with a single guest. Because we know that listeners have a limited amount of time, this podcast is designed to be “bite-sized.” Episodes are no longer than 15 minutes each, making for a brisk and brief listening experience!
In this episode, Jim Roosevelt says that the Social Security Administration (SSA), which is responsible for administering benefits for 71 million people, cannot be expected to service the public properly without adequate funding. Customers have experienced long wait times on the 800 phone line, field office closures, and extended delays in adjudication of disability claims hearings — all due to a 17% cut (adjusted for inflation) in operating budget since Tea Party Republicans took control of the House beginning in 2011.
“First of all the budget cuts that took place at the time of the Tea Party really devastated the workforce. (Employee morale has suffered) because if you tell people you have this huge amount of work to do and we’re not going to give you anybody to help you do it, they get very dissatisfied.”
Roosevelt expressed optimism that the putative new SSA Commissioner, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, would advocate for more funding and make other improvements to shore up customer service. O’Malley is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate on December 18th.
Roosevelt criticizes Republicans who propose to raise the retirement age for Social Security to 69 or 70, including presidential candidate, Nikki Haley. Roosevelt says her intention to cut benefits for people now in their 20s and 30s — including her adult children — is plain “crazy.”
“Our kids (are) not going to have a lower cost of living than retirees do today. Social Security already is an adequate benefit, but not a generous benefit. In fact, if anything, it should be increased, not cut for future generations.” – Jim Roosevelt, 12/14/23
He also rails against Republican proposals for a fiscal commission to decide the fate of Social Security (and Medicare), including House Speaker Mike Johnson’s pledge to create such a commission. Those commissions, Roosevelt tells us, are “a black box” designed to let individual lawmakers off the hook for proposing to cut seniors’ earned benefits.
He also reminisced about conversations he had as a teenager with grandmother, Eleanor Roosevelt. (Jim Roosevelt was born after his grandfather, FDR, passed away.) He describes the former first lady as a passionate advocate for women’s rights, including women’s retirement security. Eleanor, he says, was equally dedicated to preserving Social Security so that, in the words of FDR, “no damn politician” could ever take it away.
Our next guest is NCPSSM senior health policy expert, Anne Montgomery, breaking down the Disadvantages of Medicare Advantage. That episode will be released on December 21st!
To listen to the “You Earned This” podcast, click here.