In his first public remarks since leaving office on Tuesday night, former President Biden laced into Republicans.
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00:00Wow. Folks, today I want to talk to you about an issue that's front and center right now for
00:08millions of Americans, Social Security. You know, some of you may know the Democrats have declared
00:16today the Save Social Security National Action Day, National Day of Action, I should say.
00:21We know just how much Social Security matters to people's lives. Everyone in this room fights for
00:28people with disabilities who rely on Social Security to survive, to survive. Not just the
00:34physical side, it's the mental side. It's the mental side. You make sure folk get the benefits they earn
00:41after a lifetime of hard work. The work they do is more than just a profession, what you do. It's a
00:48calling, not just a profession. And Social Security is more than a government program. It's a sacred
00:55promise. We made it in a sacred promise. Seventy-three million Americans receive Social Security
01:03from their first paycheck for their entire life, they pay into Social Security. And in return,
01:12they count on Social Security to be for them when they're going to need it. Folks,
01:17we must never, ever betray that trust or turn our backs on an obligation. That's why during my
01:24presidency, we protected Social Security and made it stronger. Martin, the governor can tell you,
01:32we came into office, Social Security Administration had as low as staffing, she referenced it,
01:36lowest staffing levels in 50 years. And demand was going through the roof because of my generation
01:44and the baby boom generation reaching the retirement age. So the demands on Social Security increased
01:51significantly. Our administration secured nearly $2 billion to reduce the backlogs and improve customer
02:00service. We slashed wait times for folks in need. We're calling the 1-800 number. We got it down to
02:09under 13 minutes. It used to be three times that long we took office. Made it easier for people to get help
02:15with their claims online. We reduced how long it takes to review a case. We fixed the appeal system
02:24to make it uniform in all 50 states which made a difference. We strengthened the anti-fraud measures
02:31to protect people's identities and to make sure benefits are going to people who actually they belong to.
02:38By the way, those 300-year-old people getting that Social Security, I want to meet them because I like to figure
02:43out how they live out.
02:46Hell of a thing, man. I'm looking for longevity because it's hell when you turn 40 years old.
02:53But as a result, by the time we left office, we had improved every single line of customer service
03:00service, from applying for disability to filing an appeal to reporting fraud.
03:06It all became more efficient and more effective.
03:10And I'll bet it made your jobs easier, too, in the process.
03:14Now, these achievements
03:15These achievements
03:18may not sound so glamorous to most people, but you know,
03:24they're absolutely essential.
03:25In my view, one of the most important jobs of any elected official
03:30is to make sure the government works
03:32for the people, works for all people.
03:35It's understandable.
03:37They can understand what it is.
03:40And we keep our promises
03:41to the people,
03:43to all the people.
03:45That's exactly what we did, thanks to all of you.
03:49I also signed in law
03:50the Social Security Fairness Act.
03:52That act eliminated
03:53two unfair rules
03:55so public employees
03:56wouldn't get shortchanged
03:58if the government pension offset
03:59and the windfall elimination provision
04:02can never come in ever again.
04:08But as a result,
04:10more than 2 million people
04:11are now finally receiving the full benefits they earned.
04:15And remember,
04:16we also face the constant threat
04:18by some members,
04:20Republican members of the Congress,
04:21to cut and gut
04:23Social Security, period.
04:25Cut and gut it, period.
04:28They wanted to let Social Security expire
04:30every five years.
04:33That was a proposal.
04:35Let it expire every five years
04:37unless reauthorized by the Congress.
04:41Who in the hell
04:42do they think they are?
04:44Every five years
04:45and then wait around
04:46and be here.
04:47No.
04:52I will not go further
04:53or get in trouble,
04:54but look, folks.
04:56You can imagine
04:57the chaos
04:58it would have charged.
05:00Every five years,
05:01Congress is going to step up.
05:03Can you imagine
05:03this Congress stepping up?
05:06They threatened to raise
05:08the retirement age as well.
05:09Now, that might not be a hardship
05:12for someone working
05:14in a comfortable job.
05:16But if you're on your feet all day,
05:19you're doing manual labor all day,
05:21you're working with a disability,
05:24it's a very different matter.
05:26And then they even tried
05:28to force cuts
05:29on Social Security
05:30during the negotiation
05:32of the debt ceiling.
05:33These are wonderful guys.
05:34Last time this guy
05:38had the job,
05:39he raised the debt ceiling
05:40because of an enormous
05:43and profligate tax cut
05:45to the super wealthy.
05:48And then he said,
05:49look,
05:49then they started talking
05:50to his colleagues.
05:53Well, maybe we can do
05:54something about Social Security,
05:56but we've got to do
05:56something about the debt ceiling.
05:57How are we going to do it?
05:58We can find the money
05:59in Social Security.
06:01Unless we do
06:02what they wanted.
06:02They wanted to cut
06:03Social Security.
06:05Not on my watch.
06:08We refuse to go along
06:09with any of that.
06:13Look,
06:14Americans can
06:15have always been able
06:17to count on these benefits.
06:19And let me pause
06:20a second here
06:20and say this.
06:22We talk about
06:23the physical needs
06:24that Social Security
06:27provides for people,
06:28particularly hard-working people,
06:30people retired,
06:31people on the edge.
06:33But the psychological impact
06:35is profound.
06:39Profound.
06:42You're a man or a woman.
06:44You're 70s, 80s old.
06:45You're not in good shape.
06:48You have a disability.
06:50And you hear
06:51the chick may not come.
06:55How do you sleep at night?
06:58How do you sleep at night?
06:59We lived up in Wilmington
07:02in a three-bedroom
07:03split-level home
07:05in a new development,
07:0740 homes
07:08with four kids
07:10and a grandpop
07:11living with us.
07:12And I remember
07:13my bed,
07:14our bedroom headboard
07:15was near
07:15my dad's
07:17and mom's room.
07:20And you could tell
07:21when dad was restless.
07:23I remember asking
07:23one night
07:24my mom,
07:26what's the matter
07:26with dad?
07:26the next morning
07:27says found out
07:29that
07:30they're not going to
07:32provide insurance
07:34anymore
07:34where he works.
07:38Imagine if you're somebody
07:40who's been struggling
07:42your whole life.
07:44You literally count
07:45on Social Security
07:46to buy your food
07:47just to get by.
07:53And you hear
07:53the threats
07:54of what might happen.
07:57Many of these beneficiaries
07:59say it's their only income.
08:02If they were cut
08:02or taken away
08:03it would be devastating.
08:05Devastating
08:05for millions of people.
08:08And the psychological
08:09pressure
08:10we put people under
08:11by having this debate
08:12is absolutely devastating.
08:15That's why
08:17we worked so damn hard
08:18to make Social Security
08:19Administration stronger
08:20than it had been
08:20in years.
08:22And that's why
08:22I asked the governor
08:23to take over
08:23by the way.
08:25But look what's
08:26happened now.
08:32Fewer than
08:33100 days
08:34this new
08:35administration
08:36has made
08:38so much
08:39done so much
08:39damage
08:40and so much
08:41destruction.
08:42It's kind of
08:43breathtaking
08:43it could happen
08:44that.