Problem Solvers-Endorsed Legislation to Guarantee Full Social Security Benefits for Police Officers, Firefighters, and Public Servants Passes House
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act, legislation to ensure that American public servants and their families receive full Social Security benefits. The Problem Solvers Caucus endorsed the legislation earlier this year.
The bipartisan, bicameral legislation was introduced by Representatives Garret Graves (LA-06) and Abigail Spanberger (VA-07) and has 329 additional cosponsors, 55 of whom are Members of the Problem Solvers Caucus. The bill was brought forward for Caucus endorsement by Representatives Spanberger and David Valadao (CA-22).
The legislation would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) from the Social Security Act. The WEP reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who receive a public pension from a job not covered by Social Security, while the GPO reduces benefits for surviving spouses, widows, and widowers who also receive government pensions of their own. These provisions unfairly reduce or eliminate Social Security benefits for three million Americans, including police officers, firefighters, teachers, and other public servants who have dedicated their careers to serving their communities.
“For generations, hardworking Americans have been promised that if you work hard, save, and contribute to Social Security, you will be afforded a secure retirement. But for more than 40 years, millions of retired public servants — police officers, firefighters, federal employees, teachers, and local government employees — have long had their earned benefits stolen by the WEP and the GPO,” said Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (VA-07). “By passing the Social Security Fairness Act, a bipartisan majority of our colleagues showed up for the more than two million Americans who have long faced this injustice. I’m proud to see so many of my colleagues support addressing this basic issue of fairness, and I urge my colleagues in the U.S. Senate to build on this clear momentum, send this bipartisan legislation to the President’s desk, and protect these Americans’ earned benefits.”
“Today, my colleagues and I took an important step to ensure that the countless teachers, police officers, firefighters and other public service employees receive the full Social Security benefits they’ve earned serving our communities,” said Congressman David Valadao (CA-22). “I’m proud to support the Social Security Fairness Act and will continue to work across the aisle to bring solutions for hardworking Americans.”
“I’m proud to support the bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act which would ensure that public servants and their families receive full Social Security benefits. Those who devote their careers to service — teachers, firefighters, cops, and more — should never struggle to access their pension and Social Security benefits at retirement,” said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05). “I am extremely glad that the members of the Problem Solvers Caucus came together to endorse this commonsense legislation and help it get over the finish line in the House.”
“Everyone of our dedicated federal workers—from our police officers and firefighters to our teachers and beyond—rightly deserve the full Social Security benefits they have worked hard to earn,” said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01). “As co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus and a dedicated co-sponsor of the PSC-endorsed Social Security Fairness Act, I’m proud to see this essential bill pass the House. This legislation rights a longstanding wrong, guaranteeing that every federal worker finally receives the Social Security benefits they have rightfully earned through years of service to our communities and country.”
The full text of the bill can be found here.
###
The Problem Solvers Caucus, which is Co-Chaired by Congressmen Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) and Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), has sixty-two Members evenly split between Republicans and Democrats.