I have long maintained that when Americans sit down and get together to talk, we end up agreeing on 70% of the issues. Without polarization from media pundits, political candidates, or talking heads, the vast majority of people agree that when it comes to the great American experiment of representative democracy, the thing we crave the most is simple: Security. It is the duty of elected representatives, from City Council to Congress, to ensure this sense of security for their constituents, a concept that goes beyond party lines and traditional definitions. They range from issues tied to the traditional idea of security to more nuanced aspects of this fundamental right. Take neighborhood security, for instance: When you’re in your own community, you should feel safe from the threat of crime. That’s the core of what being secure really means. On the other end of the spectrum, there are issues such as economic security: The idea that the average family ought to be free from rampant inflation and have the opportunity to get ahead without a handout. Over the past four years representing California’s 27th District, one issue I’ve heard more and more about from everyday Californians is Social Security. Along with Medicare, this vital program supports thousands of seniors in our district and millions nationwide, and it’s something we can’t afford to take lightly. I’ve been clear since I first started running for Congress, Social Security and Medicare are contracts that you enter into with the government. You uphold your end of the deal by paying into these programs your entire life. It’s the government’s job to uphold its end by making sure these benefits are paid out to you, in full, when the time comes. Because so many American seniors rely on Social Security and Medicare, it’s an unfortunate inevitability that every election cycle, this issue gets weaponized. Every election year, ads flood the airwaves threatening the end of Social Security as we know it if a single party or candidate wins. I’m proud that my record shows exactly where I stand: I have not, and will never vote to cut Social Security or Medicare. My votes, actions, and legislative accomplishment over the past few years have affirmed and reaffirmed this time and time again. When push comes to shove, I demonstrated a willingness to cross party lines to protect these essential programs. In 2021, there was a funding shortfall that was set to result in across-the-board cuts for Medicare. Without hesitation, I knew I needed to act to ensure my constituents could continue receiving care, which is why I was just one of 29 Republicans to vote for the bill to stop these cuts, which eventually became law. I’ve not only demonstrated a willingness to protect these programs, but to promote them, expand them, and keep them solvent. Just last week, I signed onto the discharge petition for H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, to force this important bipartisan bill to the floor for a vote. There are thousands of retired public servants in our community, from teachers to firefighters to police officers, who are blocked from receiving their full Social Security benefits that they rightly earned. This bill would repeal these backward provisions, and I’ve been proud to consistently support this legislation because protecting Social Security and Medicare means fighting to ensure EVERYONE receives their full benefits. Protecting Social Security and Medicare also means fighting against waste, fraud and abuse of these programs. Any dollar lost to fraudsters or scammers is a dollar that could’ve been used to provide for a senior in need. That’s why I’m proud to announce that earlier this week, the House passed my bipartisan Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act. Millions of dollars every year are lost to Medicare and Medicaid fraud, and this bill makes common-sense improvements to the current verification system to prevent the exploitation of deceased doctors’ information to save valuable funds for these programs. Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, represents the 27th Congressional District, which includes the Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys. “Right Here, Right Now” appears Saturdays and rotates among local Republicans. The post Mike Garcia | Protecting Social Security, Medicare appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.