As a rule, we do not post about the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) because they are federal laws over which STRS Ohio has no jurisdiction. We are making an exception because we want Ohio's teachers who are impacted by WEP and/or GPO to be aware of recent progress in the campaign to repeal both of these punitive laws which reduce and, in many cases, eliminate the Social Security retirement and survivor benefits that they, and their spouses, have paid for.
This Influx of Support Brings the Lawmakers More Than Halfway to Securing the 218 Signatures Required to Force a Vote on the U.S. House Floor
The Bipartisan “Social Security Fairness Act” Would Eliminate Two Provisions of the “Social Security Act” That Unfairly Reduce Benefits for Millions of Americans Who Have Devoted Much of Their Careers to Public Service — Including Federal Employees, Police Officers, Firefighters, & Educators
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07) and Garret Graves (R-LA-06) today announced that 119 of their colleagues — both Democrats and Republicans — signed their discharge petition for the Social Security Fairness Act on the same day that the pair filed the petition. The lawmakers are already more than halfway to securing the 218 signatures required to force a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on their bipartisan bill to eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).
Spanberger and Graves yesterday morning filed a discharge petition to force a vote on the U.S. House floor on their bipartisan legislation that would eliminate both the WEP and the GPO, two provisions added to the Social Security Act in 1983 that unfairly reduce or eliminate Social Security benefits for millions of Americans who have devoted much of their careers to public service — including federal employees, police officers, firefighters, and educators. The Social Security Fairness Act now has 327 cosponsors — far more support than needed for the legislation to pass on the U.S. House floor.
“Millions of public servants across our country — police officers, firefighters, federal, state, and local government employees, and educators — have waited more than 40 years for Congress to address this basic issue of fairness. We have worked together for years to build a broad bipartisan coalition behind our effort and encourage House leadership to stand up for these Americans who serve our communities and keep our country strong,” said Spanberger and Graves. “Our colleagues — both Republicans and Democrats — understand that the time is now to remove the penalties that reduce or eliminate the earned Social Security benefits of Americans who dedicated much of their careers to public service. Members on both sides of the aisle understand that every American deserves their full retirement benefits — just like everyone else who paid into the system. Momentum is building, and we will continue working to get this done.”
BACKGROUND
Spanberger and Graves reintroduced the Social Security Fairness Act in January 2023 at the start of the 118th Congress. In November 2023, Spanberger and Graves urged the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee to hold a hearing on reforms to the WEP and GPO — and a hearing was held later that month. In March 2024, the lawmakers urged the Committee to take the next step to eliminate the WEP and GPO by holding a markup on their bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act. Spanberger and Graves have consistently pushed for a vote on the bill.
Currently, the WEP reduces the earned Social Security benefits of an individual who also receives a public pension from a job not covered by Social Security. For example, educators who do not earn Social Security in public schools but who work part-time or during the summer in jobs covered by Social Security have reduced benefits, even though they pay into the system just like others. Likewise, the GPO affects the spousal benefits of people who work as federal, state, or local government employees — including police officers, firefighters, and educators — if the job is not covered by Social Security. The GPO reduces by two-thirds the benefit received by surviving spouses who also collect a government pension.
The WEP currently impacts approximately 2 million Social Security beneficiaries, and the GPO impacts nearly 800,000 retirees.
What can you do to help?
Contact your representatives. Ask them to sign the discharge petition TODAY in the House Chamber.
Here is a sample tweet that you copy/paste and post on your Twitter account. Their aides will read it!
@RepBradWenstrup @Jim_Jordan @boblatta @RepMaxMiller @Rep_Davidson
@RepMikeTurner @RepBalderson @RepDaveJoyce
Give Ohio's public employees the Social Security benefits they paid for! Sign the discharge petition TODAY in the House Chamber. We need 218 signatures.
@GovMikeDeWine
Check this post every day for updates!
H.R.82 - Social Security Fairness Act of 2023: 118th Congress (2023-2024): https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/82/text