Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, announced he will introduce the Stop Social Security Garnishment Act — legislation to prevent seniors from having their Social Security payments withheld by the government to pay back decades-old student loan debt.
Introduce and support the Stop Social Security Garnishment Act to prohibit the federal government from garnishing Social Security payments, including SSDI, from older adults and individuals with disabilities to collect defaulted student loan debt.
Occurrences
Evidence
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Sanders announced he will introduce the Stop Social Security Garnishment Act. His office says the bill would bar federal garnishment of Social Security, including SSDI, for defaulted student-loan debt, and lists Warren, Markey, and Wyden as cosponsors.
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The Senate Press Gallery schedule says the Senate is adjourned except for pro forma sessions until September 14, 2026, with no business expected during listed pro forma sessions including August 24 and August 27.
Assessments
Sanders has publicly announced and supported the Stop Social Security Garnishment Act, with bill text/summary and named Senate cosponsors, so there is meaningful same-term effort. But the strongest official evidence as of August 26, 2026 describes the bill as something he will introduce, and the Senate was in recess/pro forma status until September 14, 2026, so formal introduction and passage of the promised federal prohibition had not yet occurred. The outcome is therefore pending rather than delivered or failed.