For seniors and people who are disabled or blind. Benefit levels were last updated in the 1980s. I call this meeting to order. Senator young, thank you, Ranking Member of the subcommittee, for working with us to schedule this hearing. I appreciate the professionalism and confidence of your staff and my Office Working with all of you is really helpful. Thank you to chairman whiting for being part of this, the efforts to protect and strengthen this critical part of our Social Security system. Todays hearing on supplemental security income, ssi, is long overdue. This is the first hearing in the finance committee since 1998, before i was in the senate, for sure. That would be almost a quarter of a century. Theres not been a hearing in congress specifically about increasing benefits and eligibility since the reagan administration. In fact, that 1987, the last year or so of the reagan administration, in 1987, ways and means hearing called ssi, quote, the forgotten safety net. It was a fittin
Government is pushing for a pause in fighting there, rejecting calls for a full ceasefire, saying it will only help hamas. The Prime Minister says they want to create a safer environment for citizens trying to leave the bombarded strip and allow aid to reach palestinians as its after israel launched its biggest incursion into gaza with tanks temporarily entering the territory and fighter jets hitting over 250 targets, the Health Ministry in hamas controlled enclave says the death toll from israeli strikes has passed 7000. That includes almost 3000 children were told. Arab nations have released a joint statement condemning what they described as the forced displacement and collective punishment in gaza. Israel punishment in gaza. Israel maintains its targeting the terrorist group, but Palestinian Foreign minister riyad al maliki says the bombardment wont stop until the whole strip is destroyed. Destroyed. This time , the war that this time, the war that israel is waging is different. Th
Miss it. Lots to get through, folks. But first, the news with Karen Armstrong. Karen armstrong. Very good evening to you. It very good evening to you. It is a minute past nine here in the gb news room. The libyan coast guard has been accused of deliberately ramming and sinking a migrant boat in the mediterranean , leaving dozens of mediterranean, leaving dozens of people and some of people in the water and some of them are still missing. Mayday, mayday, mayday , mayday, mayday, mayday, mayday, relay, mayday , relay, mayday, relay, mayday, relay, mayday, relay, mayday, relay, mayday, relay. People in the water. This dramatic footage gb news has acquired was taken by the sea watch ngo. It was off the sea watch ngo. It was off the coast of benghazi in the west of libya. It shows a large migrant inflatable boat beginning to sink. The libyan coast guard is sink. The libyan coast guard is close by one large vessel and a rigid inflatable two dozens of people. You can see them in the water. Th
You know. And in fact at 10 00 i will be making a special statement about gb news as its at ten. So you wont want to miss it. Lots to get through, folks. But first, the news with Karen Armstrong. Karen armstrong. Very good evening to you. It very good evening to you. It is a minute past nine here in the gb news room. The libyan coast guard has been accused of deliberately ramming and sinking a migrant boat in the mediterranean , leaving dozens of mediterranean, leaving dozens of people and some of people in the water and some of them are still missing. Mayday, mayday, mayday , mayday, mayday, mayday, mayday, relay, mayday , relay, mayday, relay, mayday, relay, mayday, relay, mayday, relay, mayday, relay. People in the water. This dramatic footage gb news has acquired was taken by the sea watch ngo. It was off the sea watch ngo. It was off the coast of benghazi in the west of libya. It shows a large migrant inflatable boat beginning to sink. The libyan coast guard is sink. The libyan co
Quorum call mr. Cornyn madam president . The presiding officer the sphror texas. Mr. Cornyn madam president , i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be dispensed with. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Cornyn madam president , i understand there is a bill at the desk due for its second reading. The presiding officer the clerk will read the bill for the second time. The clerk s. 3011, a bill to improve the accountability, efficiency, transparency, and overall effectiveness of the federal government. Mr. Cornyn madam president , in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule 14, i object to further proceedings. The presiding officer objection being heard, the bill will be placed on the calendar. Mr. Cornyn madam president , anybody whos been watching the national news, and particularly the weather, knows that weve been having some serious flooding back home in texas and, tragically, we lost nine soldiers at fort hood in a very unfortunate drownin