"Protect Our Checks" urges protection of Social Security for 90th anniversary

OMAHA, Nebraska (August 16, 2025)—Former Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O’Malley joined Nebraska For Us along with a full slate of speakers for a rally at Lee Valley Park to mark the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act while calling on federal officials—including Congressman Don Bacon—to protect the program.

This “Protect Our Checks” gathering was part of a National Day of Action with more than 50 events nationwide calling attention to the program that more than 370,000 Nebraskans rely on to make ends meet.

“In recent months, the Trump Administration has created confusion and chaos right here in Nebraska and nationwide, through a reduced workforce and constantly changing policies,” former Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O’Malley said. “More than 105,000 residents in Congressional District 2 count on Social Security—from retirees and seniors to people with disabilities. This is a lifeline that must be protected.”

“Right now, we know we are less than a decade away from serious challenges to the safety and stability of Social Security unless lawmakers begin taking action now,” Nebraska State Senator Machaela Cavanaugh said. “As I have seen firsthand, many people in positions of power would rather bury their heads in the sand in terms of crises heading our way. Ignorance is not an option. We must do our part to ensure this program is maintained for generations to come.”

“As a veteran, I have unfortunately seen government at its worst,” Omaha veteran Katy Eilers said. “It is on all of us to be passionate about protecting programs we are paying our tax dollars into. Our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and more deserve to retire with dignity. Not only that—people living with disabilities and those counting on survivors’ benefits should not be left worrying about the future of Social Security on top of their other daily stressors.”

“I have spent 40 years paying into Social Security, but that is often not enough for many of us to fill the gaps in our monthly budgets,” Omaha Social Security recipient Maxine Rooks said. “After experiencing a recent layoff, I have learned the value of Social Security in a deeply personal way. If the program was no longer in place, or if benefits I paid into were dramatically cut, I do not know what I would do.”

August 14 marked 90 years since former President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law. Amid recent threats of privatizing Social Security, layoffs at the Social Security Administration that are increasing wait times and making it harder for Americans to access their benefits, and constant debates over cutting benefits, Nebraska For Us and our partners are calling on Congressman Don Bacon to ensure those benefits are truly protected once and for all.

“As we navigate the very real impacts of slashing programs like Medicaid and SNAP as we speak, we cannot lose sight of other programs that are vulnerable to cuts in the future,” Nebraska For Us State Director Angie Lauritsen said. “There are legislative avenues to strengthen and protect Social Security that do not involve cutting the program.”

Nebraska For Us focuses on federal economic policies that impact working class and middle income Nebraskans and encourages them to contact members of their federal delegation to call on them to make decisions that improve their circumstances versus focusing on the ultra-wealthy and big corporations.