Texas teen completes walk to D.C., meets with state representative to discuss social security reform

LUBBOCK, Texas — House Budget Committee Chairman and Lubbock lawmaker, Jodey Arrington, spoke with a Lubbock High School senior, Eliseo Jimenez, who walked more than 1,600 miles from Lubbock to Washington D.C. to advocate for social security reform.

In a Tuesday press release, Jodey Arrington commended Jimenez for his work.

“Everybody’s proud of you, and I look forward to meeting you in person,” Arrington said upon the 17-year-old’s arrival in D.C. “God bless you, my friend. Safe travels.”

Jimenez spoke with Arrington via Zoom about his journey and the two discussed policy perspectives regarding Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and H.R 82.

WEP has caused public service employees to lose out on the Social Security benefits they have earned. H.R. 82 is the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023, which Jimenez is advocating for the House passage of.

Jimenez asked Arrington what his position was on H.R. 82 to which he said he believed it wasn’t the right fix.

“H.R. 82 is an attempt to fix it and I applaud the people who’ve worked on it, but I don’t think it’s the right fix,” Arrington said. “We have to make sure Social Security is not just there for your grandmother and for my parents and for me, we have to make sure it’s there for you and for your children.”

“And that’s the balance that we’re trying to strike… and we have to get it done. It’s been way too long where it’s just been hanging out there with this inequity where two million people are not getting what they deserve.”

Although the two did not meet in person, Arrington promised to take Jimenez to breakfast to discuss the policy issue further.

“You’re a true West Texan. Because West Texans are people of action and you took action. And I respect that,” Arrington said.

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