After Driving Up Prices, Democrats Voted No on Tax Relief for Seniors and Yes on Shutting Down the Government

WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report for September 2025 and the Social Security Administration released the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security benefits:

"Washington Democrats are responsible for making life unaffordable for seniors. Because of bad policies and reckless spending, prices spiked 21 percent during the Biden Administration. While the cost-of-living adjustment helps seniors, they are still feeling the effects of Bidenflation. That's why President Trump delivered no tax on Social Security. Seniors will get to keep more of the benefits they spent their entire lives earning and counting on to retire. It's disgraceful that Washington Democrats opposed cutting taxes for seniors, just like Democrats are voting to shut down key government programs serving seniors."