MADISON, Wis. — On Sep 12th, Peter Barca, Tip McGuire, and a Social Security recipient from Congressional District 1 held a virtual press call to call out Bryan Steil for his record of endangering Wisconsinites’ hard-earned retirement benefits.

Speakers highlighted how Bryan Steil has threatened Social Security and Medicare by aligning himself with Trump’s extreme Project 2025 Agenda, and has refused to sign on to bipartisan bills that would help seniors secure their full benefits. A concerned constituent in Bryan Steil’s district who depends on Social Security to live shared her concern that reelecting Bryan Steil would jeopardize the retirement security for people like her in the district.

Watch the press event here and see what speakers had to say, in part, below:

Congressional Candidate Peter Barca: “I think it’s outrageous anybody would even propose cutting [Social Security and Medicare], given that people have earned those benefits and are expecting and counting on them. And my policies and those of my opponent, Bryan Steil could not be any different. I’ll fight for working people, and Bryan Steil is part of a Republican Study Committee that […]proposes cutting these things. […] In fact, when you look at the statistics, the National Committee preserves Social Security and Medicare, he got back-to-back scores of 0% for his votes on these issues. For Social Security and Medicare and the Alliance for Retired Americans, he received an 8% lifetime score—not 80—8%. I think that’s very unfortunate, and I think it’s just important that the public knows where he really stands on these issues.”

Representative Tip McGuire: “I think it’s been interesting to see the difference between Bryan Steil’s actions and how he communicates with his constituents about Social Security and Medicare. For example, I think Peter referenced mail that we received from his congressional office that indicated that he strongly supports these things, and yet he was on the Republican Study Committee that proposed cutting them. And I think even more recent actions when he was […] on stage with a Project 2025 contributor—a Project 2025 that continues to advocate for cutting important services to Americans, and that he was joining with them on stage highlights his values […] that he opposes, ultimately, making sure that people have access to retirement benefits.”

Saunnie Yelton-Stanley: “My experience with Social Security is long. It began with the sudden death of my dad. He was 41, a veteran of World War Two, and the sole wage earner in our family, which in those days, was enough, but he left my mom at 36 devastated with three kids and the youngest was a toddler. Terrified, at 14, I very quickly found a part time job and soon became both a contributor to Social Security and a recipient of Social Security. After a very long work life and contributing to this fund, I became a recipient again a little while after I retired. Social Security then has been vital on both ends of my life—at the beginning and at this end—I’m so grateful for the people who were visionary enough to create and maintain this fund. The record of Representative Steil’s on senior issues, like Peter said, has earned him a zero rating by the very National Committee that tries to preserve Medicare and Social Security for us, this is not reassuring to a senior citizen. Most of [Peter Barca’s] work life has been as a public servant. He has already served in Legislature leadership and in the state cabinet. As our Congressman, he has a good voting record for seniors, the disabled, education, business and the environment.”