Congressman Patrick McHenry is serving his ninth term as the representative for North Carolina's 10th Congressional District which comprises all or parts of eight counties in North Carolina, from the suburbs of Charlotte on Lake Norman to the Piedmont Triad region on the Virginia border.
In the 116th Congress, Congressman McHenry was elected as the Republican Leader of the House Financial Services Committee, a committee he has served on since he was elected to Congress. In the 117th Congress, he continues to serve as Republican Leader advocating for innovative solutions that increase access to banking services and credit for American families and small businesses.
Prior to serving as the Republican Leader, Congressman McHenry served as Vice Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, a position he was appointed to at the beginning of the 114th Congress by then Chairman Jeb Hensarling (TX-05).
Congressman McHenry believes that every older and middle-aged American must receive the Social Security benefits to which they are entitled.
Social Security has served Americans well for generations, and we must take proper steps to ensure that the program remains solvent for future generations. But the program that was designed in 1935 is broken, and unless Congress acts Social Security will be in serious trouble. In the 1950s, there were 16 workers supporting every retiree on Social Security. Currently, there are less than 2.8 workers per retiree, and when the baby boomers retire, there will be only two workers supporting every Social Security recipient.
As the program currently exists, the trust fund for Social Security will be depleted in 2035. McHenry believes in transforming and modernizing the Social Security system—as many industrialized countries have done—to allow younger workers to place a portion of their Social Security taxes into a nest egg that they can pass on to their children and grandchildren. Just like federal workers invest their pensions into safe market options, younger workers should be able to do the same. This will keep the system solvent for decades to come. In previous years, the 60 Plus Association presented Congressman McHenry with its "Guardian of Seniors' Rights" award for his efforts to protect Social Security.