from the Editor

Democrats Abroad members aged 65+ represent approximately 25% of DA's membership, not including the many members who did not indicate their age. We are a large constituency.

Not since the 1960s have we seen this much turmoil in Washington DC. Republicans have wanted to kill Federal programs that protect The People for decades—since FDR. Regarding tariffs, remember what happened when President McKinley imposed tariffs in 1890? We have once again entered a time of Resistance. What are we going to do about it? The Democrats Abroad - Take Action page lists all actions we can take to Resist! There are two Take Actions specifically related to Seniors - one on Social Security and one on Medicare - click on the links or see more info below.

Project 2025 has been activated, and we are with you, watching in horror as Chaos 2025 (Project 2025) unfolds. If you know any federal staffers who have been fired from their job, we’d like to hear their stories, from the inside. 

It’s going to be difficult to give you timely news, as this administration is flip flopping daily, but we will try to include the most important issues, focusing on actions we can all take. 

We urge you to share this newsletter with all those in your social circles - Democrat, Independent, Libertarian and Republican alike, with Americans and non-Americans, and ask that all of them share this with their circles too. THIS is how to build a global response to Resist!

Our voices in red states are most important right now. Trump holding Damocles Sword (campaign finance withdrawal, and reputation obliteration) over the heads of any in Congress who dare to speak against Him is a powerful tool. Mitch McConnell is the latest to stand up to Trump - and soon after decided to leave politics. 

But as AOC said recently - 

"America is not for sale. Medicaid is not for sale. NASA is not for sale. The Post Office is not for sale. 

We have an obligation to resist kings. We outnumber the oligarchs. And they can be overwhelmed.

They know they have nothing and can’t come after us all. Be brave. Keep speaking up. We must use our freedom of speech now more than ever to defend from their threats against it. Call their bluff.”

Listen to her speech. 

Trump Cabinet

For those of us who are “Trump News Adverse”, these newspapers summarize his cabinet picks: The Guardian — Washington Post — New York Times

Republican representatives are cancelling their town halls, running scared from their own constituents. Democratic state parties and elected representatives are responding by holding town halls to share how the administration's actions are impacting our lives. Follow your representatives' social media channels and check their websites to find them. Watch this Wyoming Town Hall descend into chaos.

State parties are eager to include Americans abroad at their events. The South Carolina Democratic Party is holding a virtual town hall on Social Security with Congressman Jim Clyburn and Governor Martin O'Malley, former Commissioner for the Social Security Administration under President Biden on Wednesday, March 26th at 7pm EDT. You can register to attend here.

Caucus Volunteers

We need you!! Volunteers are the backbone of our organization.

You can find the list of positions our caucus is looking to fill on our Volunteer page.  Please email our Chair for details on our volunteer opportunities, and to let him know that you are interested.

• We are looking to fill our Vice Chair and Secretary
• We are looking for members of a new "Social Security Committee”.

Seniors have a vital interest in these two Take Actions:

Save Medicare/Medicaid!

Congress is out to axe Medicaid and Medicare to help cover $4.5 trillion in tax cuts for the billionaire class. Call and tell your Reps - hands off our social safety net! An email went to all DA Seniors about this Take Action - that’s 40,000 people - we CAN make a difference!

Save Social Security!

Social Security is under attack, and it is time for us to defend it before it’s too late. Call your representative NOW and demand they protect Social Security! Links and call scripts are provided here.

WEP Repeal - We did it! What's next .....

We did it! The Windfall Elimination Provision has been repealed. Thank you for all of your calls and emails - Democracy Works!

Next Steps - From the SSA:

"The Social Security Administration (SSA) is issuing retroactive payments and increasing monthly benefits for those affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), with payments expected by the end of March and higher monthly benefits starting in April."

Through March 4, 2025, SSA has already paid 1,127,723 people more than $7.5 billion in retroactive payments. I received a lump sum directly in my bank account mid-March, so check your bank balance. You might not receive a letter.

Have YOU received a letter or payment? We’d love to hear success stories from you.

New SSA Acting Commissioner: Statement

The President has appointed Lee Dudek as Acting Commissioner of Social Security, pending Senate confirmation of Frank Bisignano. Here are a few excerpts from his Commitment to Agency Transparency and Protecting Benefits and Information:

• Our continuing priority is paying beneficiaries the right amount at the right time, and providing other critical services people rely on from us.
• DOGE personnel CANNOT make changes to agency systems, benefit payments, or other information. They only have READ access.
• DOGE personnel do not have access to data related to a court ordered temporary restraining order, current or future.
• DOGE personnel must follow the law and if they violate the law they will be referred to the Department of Justice for possible prosecution.

Read his full statement.

That sounds good, but who is Leland Dudek?

In sharp contrast to the above, I hope you’re sitting down. Per Michael Phelan at Social Security Works:

"Leland Dudek, whose only qualification to serve as the Acting Commissioner of Social Security is a slavish devotion to Elon Musk, just published his plan to “reorganize” the Social Security Administration. Dudek’s plan involves forcing out 24 senior managers who have spent their careers making sure Social Security benefits are paid in full and on time." 

Dudek and Musk are playing with fire―and we could miss payments if they’re not careful.

Dudek’s memo announcing the cuts says, “We can no longer afford to operate in this fashion.”

That’s the same lie that Republicans have used for years to claim that benefit cuts were inevitable. But they’re not. The Social Security Administration gets its money from the same Social Security trust fund that we pay into with every paycheck. And if billionaires like Elon Musk paid their fair share, we could afford to EXPAND benefits and keep every local Social Security office open.

These Social Security cuts are a preview of what will happen to our earned benefits if we don’t force the Elon Musks of the world to pay their fair share. We have to fight back!"

Social Security Identifies Hundreds of Millions of Dollars in Savings

“For too long, SSA has operated on autopilot,” said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “We have spent billions annually doing the same things the same way, leading to bureaucratic stagnation, inefficiency, and a lack of meaningful service improvements. It is time to change just that.”  See details here.

Social Security Administration (SSA) - Closing offices at the SSA

Government cutbacks have impacted the SSA, offices are being shuttered - they are listed here by state. Telephone help lines have been closed down. Seniors are now expected to go online for help - as if all Seniors have access to a computer and the internet! However, also being implemented are tighter ID verification processes which require millions of recipients and applicants to visit agency field offices or go online rather than interact with agency employees over the phone. How’s that for efficiency? 

SSA Online Tools

The SSA has created online tools to help us apply for Social Security & Medicare. To learn more about SSA tools, online services, and how our programs benefit people just like you, sign up here.

Another is the enhanced Electronic Consent Based Social Security Number Verification (eCBSV) service which was designed to speed up the ID verification process. Another change was to expedite direct deposit change requests to one business day.

We’ve provided you, our members, with an introduction to SS & Medicare benefits on our Seniors Caucus SS/Medicare website and on our U.S. Benefits page.

Social Security Works! Today and Tomorrow

Social Security Works (SSW) is an American political advocacy group that calls for expansion of Social Security, promoted heath care as a human right, and seeks to lower drug prices. It was founded in 2010, and has over a million members.

Have you joined Social Security Works yet? You’ll receive updates on their work, be able to take direct action, and sign petitions to protect Social Security. Watch our webinar here. 

SSW has released a new, online service option called eSignature/Upload Documents.  Visit their Advocates page to learn more.

Social Security Works PAC is a political action committee created in 2017 that works to expand Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Nancy Altman is President of the SSW. Jon Bauman is the PAC president.

Our March 8 Event with Nancy Altman on YouTube

STORIES

How America’s 'Senior Citizens' Became 'Older People'

A new book traces shifts in the nation’s treatment of aging adults — for better and for worse. Read the book review.

Everything Will be Politicized

But how we react to that is up to us.

Read the article from 13 January 2025 as a reminder of how compassion healed us in the aftermath of Covid-19. Trump is a lot of bluster - and uses it to great effect as a method of negotiating to get precisely what he wants. To endure it, stay healthy, but also realize it is a game he plays: ask for the sun, moon and stars. When you’re offered the moon, take it. That’s what you came to the table for in the first place. 

VOTING

The SAVE Act

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act has been reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation would require all Americans to prove their citizenship status by presenting documentation—in person—when registering to vote or updating their voter registration information.

How would this impact us? Would we be required to show proof at our country Embassy, or have to travel back to our voting state to submit our documents?

Click here to Act Now to STOP the Save Act - TODAY!

Elections to be held in 2025

Call Wisconsin voters - and - reach out to ensure your friends will vote in these states:

How to Vote from Abroad

Register to vote and request your 2025 overseas ballot

Vote from Abroad provides every U.S. citizen abroad with the information and tools needed to VOTE, assisting voters from all 50 states, plus District of Columbia and U.S. territories. Our online tool makes it simple to fill out and send in a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). We highly recommend that each voter file this form annually.

Have questions about voting? We provide one-on-one voter assistance - on voter status, never voted, or anything about voting as an American overseas. You can ask online, check our FAQs (Frequently asked questions) page, or come to a Voter Assistance Session. Voting made easy!

TAXATION

Tax Filing and Payment deadlines for Americans Abroad

            ~ ~ Click Here to Get Your Social Security Statement for 2024 ~ ~

Tax Payment deadline: 15 April.  

Tax Filing Deadline:  Overseas taxpayers receive an automatic 2 month extension to file our taxes, until 15 June. We can get a further extension - until 15 October, by filing Form 4868 by 15 April. Free Filing is available to overseas taxpayers. 

This IRS page has helpful information for overseas taxpayers.

If you’ve just moved overseas

and want to learn about tax filing, FBAR, FATCA and more, the Tax Section on this page will walk you through the basic information. It is not intended as tax advice.

Republicans May Not Be Able to Extend the Trump Tax Cuts

After spending a long time debating whether to use one or two budget reconciliation bills to pass the Trump agenda of cutting immigration, investments in clean energy, taxes, and spending (outside of Medicare, defense and Social Security), Republicans in Congress have just decided to try pass everything in one big bill—and split it up into two bills—at the same time.

If this sounds like a contradiction, it’s because it is. And it doesn’t bode well for their chances of success. Read on…

Junk Mail!

Protect yourself by recognizing the signs of a scam. Remember: 

• Scammers pretend to be from an agency or organization you know to gain your trust.
• Scammers say there is a problem or a prize.
• Scammers pressure you to act immediately.
• Scammers tell you to pay in a specific way.

Delete and block any message that tells you to "Click Here!" or your account will be deleted. 

Some candidates and organizations use language like “Donate $5 today and it will be triple-matched,” “Warning: Payment incomplete,” or “We need 5,238 donors from YOUR zip code.” 

Do not click on any of these links.

DA Events - Quick Links

• DA Caucus Events for 2025
• DA YouTube channel