The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Social Security Fairness Act with a bipartisan majority of 327 votes. The bill aims to eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which have reduced or eliminated Social Security benefits for over 2.5 million Americans who have dedicated their careers to public service. Representatives Abigail Spanberger, Garret Graves, and Senators Sherrod Brown and Susan Collins, the legislation’s sponsors, have urged Senate leadership to bring the bill up for a vote before the end of the current Congress.
They highlighted the broad, bipartisan support for the legislation, including a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. The WEP reduces earned Social Security benefits for individuals who also receive a public pension from a job not covered by Social Security. The GPO affects spousal benefits of government employees, such as police officers, firefighters, and teachers, if their job is not covered by Social Security.
House passes Social Security reform
It reduces the benefit received by surviving spouses who also collect a government pension, often offsetting benefits entirely. According to the Congressional Research Service, the WEP impacts more than 2.1 million Social Security beneficiaries, while the GPO affects nearly 750,000 retirees.
Over 300,000 American retirees are impacted by both provisions. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the lawmakers emphasized the importance of correcting the injustices caused by the WEP and GPO. They stated that Social Security’s short-term solvency should not be maintained by the “stolen benefits” of these retirees.
The passage of the Social Security Fairness Act in the House marks a significant step towards addressing the concerns of public servants and retirees affected by these provisions. The bill’s sponsors now look to the Senate to bring the legislation to a vote and send it to the president’s desk for signing into law.
