New York Rep. Mike Lawler contradicts himself on Social Security cuts

At a town hall event, Republican Rep. Mike Lawler pledged to never cut Social Security, but a few seconds later backed proposals that could eliminate benefits for millions. 

Lawler is seeking a second term representing New York’s 17th district. His Democratic opponent is former Rep. Mondaire Jones.

Lawler made the contradictory statements during a July 2 town hall event in Rockland, NY. He was responding to a voter who asked Lawler if he would support raising the retirement age above 67.

“For our seniors, this is one of the most important issues,” Lawler said. “Let me be abundantly clear and in very plain English: I will not cut Social Security. I will not cut Medicare. And anyone suggesting or trying to lie to people, to suggest otherwise, is wrong.”

In the same response, however, Lawler floated ideas that could lead to cuts.

“​​I think long term, you need to have a commission that looks at all aspects of funding Social Security and how we keep the program solid,” he continued. “That includes looking at FICA and lifting the cap on payroll taxes … It looks at long-term. You know, I’m 37 years old. What is the age that may have to be considered? But that has to be looked at holistically. And you can’t make those determinations in a vacuum.”

Lawler stressed that he would not support changes to Social Security for current recipients.

The last time a Social Security commission was formed was in 1981, during President Ronald Reagan’s administration. Its recommendations resulted in new cuts to Social Security, including raising the retirement age and taxing Social Security benefits as income.

The Center On Budget and Policy Priorities, a progressive think tank, classifies increases in the retirement age as a Social Security cut. A 2023 analysis by the organization warned that raising the retirement age would disproportionately impact low- and middle-income Americans.

“Raising the retirement age cuts benefits for all new retirees — that is, those claiming Social Security benefits for the first time,” the analysis said. “These cuts could be deep, and they would fall hardest on lower- and middle-income beneficiaries because they rely most heavily on Social Security benefits. Moreover, they have not seen the life expectancy gains that higher-income people have experienced and that are often used as the rationale for raising the retirement age.”

Currently, 67 million people depend on Social Security benefits. Approximately 4 million of those individuals live in New York state. A 2023 AP-NORC poll found that 79% of Americans oppose making any cuts to Social Security at all.

Jones and Lawler are in a tight race. A GBAO poll from September showed Jones trailing Lawler by less than two percentage points.