More than 200 House Democrats on Wednesday reintroduced legislation to expand Social Security by increasing benefits for recipients.

The bill was reintroduced on the birthday of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who signed the law creating Social Security in 1935.

"The time to act is now," Rep. John Larson John Barry LarsonGAO clears way for Democrats to try to overturn Trump's payroll tax deferral Trump payroll-tax deferral for federal workers sparks backlash Military members can't opt out of Trump's payroll tax deferral MORE (D-Conn.), the chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, said at a press conference.

ADVERTISEMENT

Democrats have increasingly pushed for an expansion of Social Security in recent years. In the fall, more than 150 Democratic lawmakers formed a new caucus focused on expanding the program's benefits.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal Richard Edmund NealRep. Cedric Richmond set to join House Ways and Means Committee Coons beats back progressive Senate primary challenger in Delaware Pelosi: House will stay in session until agreement is reached on coronavirus relief MORE (D-Mass.) said that the panel was going to begin a series of hearings on retirement security next week.

Larson also noted that several Democratic presidential candidates have supported the legislation.

"We know that that this is going to be part and parcel of the discussion and the landscape," he said.

The legislation would provide an increase in benefits for recipients that's equivalent to 2 percent of the average benefit. It also would change the formula for cost-of-living adjustments in an effort to better take into account the costs that seniors incur. Additionally, it would raise the income threshold for when people have to pay taxes on their Social Security benefits.

The bill also includes some provisions designed to strengthen the solvency of the Social Security trust fund, such as subjecting wages above $400,000 to the payroll tax and phasing in an increase in the contribution rate, so that workers and employers would be paying 7.4 percent in 2043 instead of the current 6.2 percent.

The Democrats encouraged Trump and congressional Republicans to support the bill. Larson noted that Trump was supportive of Social Security during the 2016 presidential election.

"President Trump Donald John TrumpUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Trump supporters chant 'Fill that seat' at North Carolina rally MORE stood with seniors all across this country then," Larson said.