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This bill would make it harder for the Senate to pass laws that cut Medicare or Social Security benefits. It creates a rule that lets senators block any bill, amendment, or conference report that would reduce those benefits. It also stops lawmakers from using savings from Medicare, or higher Medicare-related revenue, to pay for other parts of a bill that are not actually for Medicare. In both cases, the Senate could only ignore or override the rule with a two-thirds vote.
- It would bar the Senate from considering any bill or change that lowers Medicare benefits or Social Security benefits.
- It would also bar bills that use Medicare savings or Medicare revenue increases to help cover the cost of unrelated spending.
- To waive either rule, two-thirds of Senators would have to vote to do so.
Official Summaries
Protect Our Seniors Act
This bill establishes Senate budget enforcement procedures (known as points of order) against measures that (1) reduce Medicare or Social Security benefits, or (2) use revenue or savings from the Medicare program to offset the cost of provisions unrelated to carrying out Medicare.
Points of order are prohibitions against certain categories of legislation or congressional action. A point of order raised on the grounds established under the bill may be waived or suspended only by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Senators.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 36 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 36
To protect the seniors of the United States, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 8, 2025
Mr. Scott of Florida introduced the following bill; which was read
twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To protect the seniors of the United States, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Protect Our Seniors Act''.
SEC. 2. POINT OF ORDER FOR REDUCTIONS IN MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY
BENEFITS.
Section 301 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 632)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(j) Medicare and Social Security Point of Order.--
``(1) In general.--It shall not be in order in the Senate
to consider any bill or resolution (or amendment, motion, or
conference report on that bill or resolution) that would reduce
benefits under the Medicare program under title XVIII of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) or benefits
payable under title II of that Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.).
``(2) Waiver.--Paragraph (1) may be waived or suspended in
the Senate only by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the
Members, duly chosen and sworn.''.
SEC. 3. MEDICARE POINT OF ORDER.
Section 301 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 632),
as amended by section 3, is further amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(k) Medicare Point of Order.--
``(1) In general.--It shall not be in order in the Senate
to consider any bill or resolution (or amendment, motion, or
conference report on that bill or resolution) for which the
total budgetary effects of the measure, as determined by the
Congressional Budget Office, use a decrease in outlays, or an
increase in revenue, under the health insurance programs under
title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.)
to offset a cost of a provision of the measure that is not for
the purpose of carrying out those programs.
``(2) Waiver.--Paragraph (1) may be waived or suspended in
the Senate only by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the
Members, duly chosen and sworn. An affirmative vote of two-
thirds of the Members of the Senate, duly chosen and sworn,
shall be required to sustain an appeal of the ruling of the
Chair on a point of order raised under paragraph (1).''.
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