Social Security Fairness Act Passes House, Awaits Senate Approval

The Social Security Fairness Act, which aims to repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), has taken a significant step forward after passing the U.S. House of Representatives with a bipartisan vote of 327-75 on Tuesday.

The bill, introduced by Reps. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) and Garret Graves (R-La.), seeks to address long-standing issues that have reduced Social Security benefits for millions of public employees, including teachers, police officers, firefighters, and postal workers. The WEP reduces Social Security benefits for workers who receive pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security, while the GPO cuts spousal and survivor benefits for government employees who also receive a non-Social Security pension.

The passage in the House marks a historic victory for advocates who have been pushing for this change for decades. NEA-Retired President Anita Gibson highlighted the relentless efforts of educators and other public employees in lobbying federal lawmakers since the 1990s to explain the detrimental effects of these provisions.

The bill now heads to the Senate, where it has 62 co-sponsors and enjoys broad bipartisan support. However, it faces a tight deadline as it must be passed before the end of the current congressional session on December 31. If it does not pass by then, the bill would need to be reintroduced in the next session.

Advocacy groups and labor unions are urging swift action from the Senate. Texas AFT Retiree Plus members are calling on the Senate to bring the companion bill, S. 597, to a floor vote as quickly as possible. They are also urging constituents to contact their senators and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to ensure timely action.

If passed, the Social Security Fairness Act would increase benefits for approximately 2.8 million retirees and ensure that public workers and their families receive the full benefits they have earned. The changes would be effective for benefits payable after December 2023).