President Donald Trump marked the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act by signing a White House proclamation that praised the 1935 law as “one of the most significant pieces of legislation ever signed.” In televised remarks, Trump promised to make the program “stronger, bigger and better” and said his administration is “keeping a sacred pledge” to protect retirees’ benefits. The president highlighted provisions in the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill, which administration officials say will eliminate federal income tax on Social Security payments for about 88 percent of recipients. The law also includes technology upgrades that the Social Security Administration says have reduced call wait-times and backlogs for disability claims. Democratic lawmakers used the anniversary to press competing proposals. The Social Security Expansion Act, re-introduced in the House, would add $2,400 a year to individual benefits and extend solvency for 75 years by raising payroll taxes on higher earners. Several Democrats accused Republicans of pursuing privatization and staffing cuts that they say could erode the program’s customer service and long-term stability. The policy debate is unfolding as the system’s finances deteriorate. Trustees estimate the combined retirement and disability trust funds will be exhausted in 2034, at which point incoming payroll taxes would cover about 81 percent of scheduled benefits. With the beneficiary rolls already near 69 million and expected to reach 82 million before the program’s centennial, analysts warn that Congress and the White House will soon have to agree on a mix of tax increases, benefit changes or investment reforms to avert automatic cuts.