Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, voted Wednesday for the Seniors Protection Act (House Resolution 5987) to provide seniors, veterans and individuals with disabilities receiving Social Security with a one-time $250 economic security payment to compensate for the lack of a cost-of-living adjustment in 2011.

The Consumer Price Index formula used to determine the annual Social Security COLA is based on the year-to-year changes in prices of common consumer goods and services, but does not give added weight to common costs such as medical care, on which seniors spend an increasingly larger proportion of their income.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics calculates that the cost of medical care has risen nearly 7 percent in the past two years.

The cost of the legislation is offset, and more than 5.7 million Californians would be eligible for this one time-payment. The legislation garnered 254 votes in the House of Representatives, but did not meet the two-thirds requirement to pass.

“In these tough economic times, when retirees have seen the values of their homes and retirement accounts fall while medical costs continue to increase, providing a $250 payment is the right thing to do. Nearly one in seven of my constituents receive Social Security benefits, and many would be impoverished without them. Because so many depend on Social Security benefits to get by, they are likely to quickly spend the $250 on necessities, injecting demand into the economy and stimulating growth,” Capps said. “I am deeply disappointed the bill did not pass, and will continue pushing to provide Central Coast seniors with the aid they need and deserve.”

The fiscally responsible legislation enjoys broad support from veterans and seniors organizations, including AARP, the Alliance for Retired Americans, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, the Disabled American Veterans and the Military Officers Association of America.

— Ashley Schapitl is press secretary for Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara.