photo credit: Noah Abrams/KRCB
Nancy and her son Erik Meitz at a round table discussion on the threats to Social
Security, held at the Finley Community Center in Santa Rosa on Tuesday, April 15.

Congress is on a scheduled break until April 28th and congressional Democrats were in their home districts across the country Tuesday, April 15, to hear from constituents.

Democratic representatives also sought to rally support for embattled Social Security and Medicare programs.

Sonoma County congressional representatives Mike Thompson and Jared Huffman held a joint round table discussion in a small gymnasium room at Santa Rosa's Finley Community Center.

Attending constituents were a mix of senior and disability advocates, healthcare executives, and nonprofit leaders.

The main focus: Social Security.

"Critics will say it's an entitlement we should end entitlements," Representative Mike Thompson said. "So entitlement is a word that means its you're money, you put it in, you're entitled to get it out when you qualify."

Both Thompson and Huffman said the goal for Tuesday's nationwide slate of meetings is to hear from constituents about specific issues they're facing with Social Security. Constituents like Erik Meitz, a disabled Sonoma County resident.

"Without Social Security, I could be, you know, living with my parents again or in an institution, and I'm not ready for that yet," Meitz said.

Erik's mother, Nancy, said she fears cuts to supplemental security income, SSI, which Erik receives from Social Security, would leave her son unable to continue living independently.

"He lives on between $700 and $800 a month," Nancy Meitz said. "Part of that goes to his rent. He still pays PG&E, gasoline for his van, et cetera. It doesn't leave a whole lot of wiggle room."

The Trump administration has entertained multiple changes to social security, including ending phone appointments. The administration has rolled out new measures, with claims that will combat phone fraud. A solution that according to Huffman, is in search of a problem.

"The number of errors are a rounding error really in a program of this magnitude," Huffman said.

Representative Huffman also criticized Elon Musk's repeated attacks on Social Security.

Advocates at the round table discussion voiced concern over long wait times and payment issues with social security, and warned that cuts could force even more seniors into homelessness.