S. 5042
Introduced in Senate · July 29, 2026July 21, 2026
Mr. Blumenthal (for himself, Ms. Slotkin, Mr. Luján, Mr. Whitehouse, and Ms. Duckworth) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance
A BILL
To protect our Social Security system and improve benefits for current and future generations.
1. Short title; 2. Table of contents; TITLE I—STRENGTHENING BENEFITS; 101. Across-the-board benefit increase; 102. More accurate cost-of-living adjustment; 103. Increasing the minimum benefit for long-term low earners; 104. Increasing threshold amounts for inclusion of Social Security benefits in income; 105. Improving benefits for widows and widowers in two-income households; 106. Increasing benefits for beneficiaries after 15 years of eligibility; 107. Providing caregiver credits for Social Security; 108. Eliminating the 5-month waiting period for disability benefits; 109. Establishing a gradual offset for disability beneficiaries with earnings; 110. Extending the child’s benefit for post-secondary school students under age 26; 111. Increasing access to benefits for children who live with grandparents or other relatives; 112. Preventing an unintended drop in benefits relating to the application of the National Average Wage Index; 113. Holding SSI, Medicaid, and CHIP beneficiaries harmless; TITLE II—STRENGTHENING THE TRUST FUND; 201. Repeal of limitation on social security wage base for FICA and SECA after 2026; 202. Including earnings over the contribution and benefit base in Social Security benefit formula; 203. Application of Social Security tax to net investment income; 204. Establishing the Social Security Trust Fund; TITLE III—STRENGTHENING SERVICE DELIVERY; 301. Rebuilding Social Security’s customer service workforce; 302. Keeping our field offices open; 303. Protecting Americans’ Social Security data; 304. Ending wrongful invalidation of social security account numbers; 305. Claws off Social Security; 306. Dual office-holding prohibited; 307. Clarifying the requirement to mail Social Security account statements; 308. Ensuring access to professional representation