March 2, 2026
President of the United States, Donald J. Trump
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, D. C. 20012
Speaker of the United States House
of Representatives James Michael Johnson
United States Capitol Building
Washington, D.C. 20012
Dear Mr. President and Speaker Johnson,
As a former representative for Michigan’s 11th Congressional District, many constituents rely on my advice and experience. Many believe I still have a voice and continue to bring me suggestions they think are worthy of consideration.
One of the best ideas was submitted to me recently by Mr. Dennis Talluto, from Troy, Michigan, with the hope that I, as a former congressman, might present it to you.
I informed Dennis that I did not think I had any way to get it to you or a Presidential staffer. I informed him I am not a lobbyist, nor do I receive any funds or expense reimbursement for my efforts. I promised I would at least “try”. I am delivering this suggestion to you both at my own time and expense while assisting a former Ann Arbor firefighter who was unjustly terminated for failing to take a COVID-19 vaccination.
The suggestion concerns the Presidential proposal to distribute a “tariff dividend” check to American citizens. My constituent respectfully declines the offer. He strongly recommends a proposal that will yield long-term strategic benefits for the American People: creating a Social Security Trust Fund, untouchable by Congressional general fund raids, that is separate and distinct from all other federal accounts. I call it the “Talluto Act.”
Key points on this proposal are as follows:
- 100% of tariff receipts are deposited into the Social Security Trust Fund (approx. $30B / month, approx. $200B / CY reference 2025) rather than returned to taxpayers as a dividend. It continues with 100% of all Social Security, Medicare, and Disability (OASDI) payroll deductions being directly deposited into the new SSTF (approx. $145.7 B / month).
- We would continue to deposit “tariff receipts” into the SSTF until the SSTF is fully funded, stable, and self-sufficient, on a 10-, 20-, and 30-year projected basis. (receipts gains, minus distributions expenses)
SSTF shall be administered in a manner consistent with pension accounting principles (amount of liquid funds, amount of funds invested, etc.).
- SSTF will use investable funds in a broad-based basket of indexed funds, treasuries, and gold/silver bullion.
SSTF investment shall be directed into American institutions, instruments, and securities only, and shall deliver an annual return greater than 5%, with a target return of 10%.
- We should abandon the current broken model of 3-4% Treasury returns eroded by 2% targeted inflation rate by the Federal Reserve.
- 100% of investment returns shall be deposited back into the SSTF and shall NOT be used for any other purpose other than SSTF benefits. (SSTF funds and investment gains are not available for General Fund purposes)
- The current federal government practice of the Unified Budget Accounting and Reporting system shall be stopped, and separate accounting, budgeting, and reporting for SSTF shall be instituted.
- An annual report on the financial status of SSTF will be published for public review, like any other investment portfolio report an investor would receive.
- Benefits paid from the fund shall be available to eligible United States citizens only.
- Illegal immigrants and/or other non-citizens are not eligible for SSTF benefits.
- Turn the DOGE Engine on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Disability account database, and remove all the waste, fraud, abuse (duplicate recipients, deceased persons, etc.).
BENEFITS
1. Stabilize Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid funding, and avoid the impending insolvency projected to arrive in 2035. Guarantee solvency in perpetuity.
2. Legally and logically divide non-discretionary social spending, and general fund discretionary funding (by effectively removing SSTF budgeting/spending from General Fund budgeting/spending –
A. It declutters the financial “radar screen” for the American People to assess federal financials transparently – and focuses Congressional and Administration efforts on dealing with deficits within the General Budget.
3. Reduces the political fighting and stress in the budget.
4. Allay the concerns and stresses of the constituency, the electorate. Demonstrate the Administration’s focus on fixing what has long been broken in the federal government and place the President and the GOP as the savior of social security benefits for all present and future Americans.
5. Politically, the American public would welcome a guarantee that the SSTF will be them once they reach age 65. Gains support for Republicans and gains support for the tariff issues. Guarantee Republicans maintain the House and Senate.
6. US citizens eligible to collect SSTF would receive an annual report (like we do for our private mutual funds, etc.) from the SSTF.
7. Pass or not, the “Talluto SSTF Act” would bring voters to vote for any GOP candidate who supports the Act.
HURDLES AND OBSTACLES
- There must be a mechanism that prevents Congress from raiding, changing, and modifying the Social Security Trust Fund. Perhaps a Constitutional Amendment?
- The Social Security Trust Fund must be accountable and transparent, with proper oversight to ensure benefits go to those deserving. Enforcement protocols must be established by designing a program within the SSTF that prevents fraud and abuse.
Thank you for the opportunity to present this proposal.
Sincerely,
Kerry Bentivolio
US Army, MI ARNG (Ret)
Member of the 113th Congress
PROPOSAL COMPARISON: CURRENT MODEL VS. THE TALLUTO ACT
The following table highlights the structural differences between the current Social Security system and the proposed reforms under the Talluto Act.
| Feature | Current Model (Status Quo) | The Talluto Act (Proposed) |
| Funding Sources | Primarily 12.4% Payroll Tax (OASDI). | Payroll Tax + 100% of Federal Tariff Receipts (~$30B/month). |
| Revenue Usage | Tariffs go to the General Fund; Payroll taxes pay current beneficiaries (Pay-as-you-go). | All receipts flow directly into a partitioned, self-sustaining Social Security Trust Fund (SSTF). |
| Insolvency Risk | Projected 2032–2035 (CBO/Trustee data), leading to automatic ~25% benefit cuts. | Guaranteed Solvency in perpetuity through diversified capitalization and high-yield targets. |
| Investment Strategy | Restricted to special-issue, low-yield U.S. Treasury securities (approx. 2-3%). | Broad-based basket of American index funds, treasuries, and gold/silver bullion. |
| Target Return | Historically 3-4% (often eroded by inflation). | Annual return of 5% to 10% using professional pension accounting principles. |
| Fund Protection | “Unified Budget” accounting allows Congress to “borrow” surpluses for general spending. | Untouchable “Firewall”—legally separate from the General Fund; potentially via Constitutional Amendment. |
| Transparency | Occasional statements with generalized projections. | Annual Investment Report (similar to a 401k/Mutual Fund statement) sent to every citizen. |
| Eligibility | Historically broader; subject to ongoing legislative debate. | U.S. Citizens Only. Explicitly excludes illegal immigrants and non-citizens. |
| Operational Efficiency | Standard SSA oversight; significant legacy waste/fraud. | DOGE-Engine Audit to purge fraud, duplicate recipients, and deceased persons from the database. |
FACT SHEET: THE TALLUTO ACT
A Strategic Blueprint for Permanent Social Security Solvency
OVERVIEW
The Talluto Act is a transformative legislative proposal submitted by former Congressman Kerry Bentivolio (MI-11) to President Donald J. Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson. Named after Troy, Michigan constituent Dennis Talluto, the Act proposes a fundamental shift: instead of distributing tariff revenue as short-term “dividend checks,” 100% of tariff receipts should be used to permanently capitalize a new, untouchable Social Security Trust Fund (SSTF).
THE CORE MECHANISM
The Act moves Social Security away from the “pay-as-you-go” model and toward a modern pension accounting model.
- Revenue Injection: 100% of monthly tariff receipts (approx. $30B/month) plus 100% of OASDI payroll deductions are deposited directly into the SSTF.
- The “Firewall”: The SSTF is legally separated from the Federal General Fund. It is no longer subject to “Unified Budget” accounting, preventing Congress from “raiding” the fund for discretionary spending.
- American-First Investment: Funds are invested exclusively in a broad-based basket of American index funds, treasuries, and gold/silver bullion.
- Growth Targets: Abandons the broken 3-4% Treasury model in favor of a target annual return of 5% to 10%.
ELIGIBILITY & INTEGRITY
- Citizen-Only Benefits: Benefits are strictly reserved for eligible United States citizens. Illegal immigrants and non-citizens are explicitly ineligible.
- DOGE Integration: The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will audit the SSTF database to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse (e.g., deceased recipients or duplicate accounts).
- Transparency: Every citizen receives an Annual Investment Report, identical to a private sector 401(k) or mutual fund statement, showing the fund’s health and projected returns.
PRIMARY BENEFITS
- Guaranteed Solvency: Eliminates the “2035 Insolvency” cliff, securing benefits for current seniors and future generations in perpetuity.
- Market Stability: Reinvests billions into American financial institutions and securities, strengthening the domestic economy.
- Political De-escalation: Removes Social Security from the annual “budget battle,” providing peace of mind to the electorate and reducing political stress.
- Fiscal Clarity: Declutters the federal “radar screen” by separating mandatory social spending from discretionary general fund deficits.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL SAFEGUARD
To ensure the SSTF remains “untouchable” by future administrations, the Act proposes a Constitutional Amendment or a high-threshold legal mechanism to prevent any modification or withdrawal for non-SSTF purposes.
“The American people don’t want a one-time check; they want a lifetime guarantee. The Talluto Act delivers that guarantee by turning trade policy into retirement security.” — Kerry Bentivolio, Member of the 113th Congress