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In the days ahead, The Senior Citizens League will keep a close eye on the evolving budget negotiations, and we will continue to advocate for legislative solutions that would strengthen and protect your Social Security and Medicare benefits. For updates, follow us on Twitter or visit the Legislative News section of our website every Friday morning..TSCL will continue to monitor this debate, and will work to educate Members of Congress about the potential for problems in funding benefits that could result from extending the payroll tax holiday. In the meantime, TSCL is also asking seniors to contact their Members of Congress and urge them to oppose extending the Social Security payroll tax cut..In real terms, if a household heating oil tank holds 400 gallons, a fill up in 2000 cost 0. That was slightly more than half the average monthly Social Security benefit of 6 in 2000. The householder still had 6 left to buy groceries and pay for prescriptions. In 2013, the same fill-up cost ,600 - almost 40 percent more than the average monthly benefit of ,14The householder had to take 3 from savings, a line of credit, or another income source to cover the balance of the fill-up..The issue of PBM transparency is not a hyper-partisan issue - and that was clear when the U.S. House passed our bill by an overwhelming margin of 403 to 0. That vote should signal just how common high drug prices are in districts across the country, and I'm encouraged by Democrats and Republicans both recognizing the pressing need for our legislation..The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program is part of the healthcare overhaul law and would allow workers to pay into a fund that would provide a daily cash benefit for long-term care services. The program has been delayed since October after officials failed to meet the law's provisions of being voluntary, solvent, and self-sustaining for 75 years..In 2012, the GPO reduced, by nearly two-thirds, the Social Security benefits of nearly 600,000 surviving spouses who also collect a government pension. Nine out of 10 public employees affected by the GPO lose their entire spousal benefit, even though their spouse paid Social Security taxes for years..Congressional Recess Continues as Election Nears.Major Findings.However, it's not clear whether employers are going to pass the savings on to employees. Since the taxes would be deferred, not waived, several experts question whether firms would actually pass the money along to their workers, because it is the businesses that are on the hook for the taxes.