Social Security Fairness Act Faces Uncertain Future in Senate
The Social Security Fairness Act remains stalled in the U.S. Senate, and a rally is planned in Washington, DC for Wednesday, December 11th at 11:30 AM. The event will take place in collaboration with the Alliance for Retired Americans and numerous labor unions under the AFL-CIO. This united front represents a significant opportunity to send a powerful and undeniable message to members of the Senate: The time to act is now.
The legislation, S. 597 in the Senate, addresses the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), provisions which unfairly reduce Social Security benefits for public sector retirees who receive a public pension — or the spouse or survivor of a Social Security or Railroad Retirement beneficiary — who worked in a job not covered by the Social Security program.
For decades, the two Social Security provisions have unjustly deprived more than 2 million public service retirees of the benefits they have earned. This includes NARVRE members and railroad families as well.
Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA), who co-authored the bill in the House with Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), expressed confidence that S. 597 has the support in the Senate to pass as a stand-alone bill, but questions have bubbled up over its path forward.
The Senate legislation (S.597), has bipartisan support and more than 60 Senate co-sponsors. However, there’s too much talk and not enough action.
“The talk is about trying to make it part of the end-of-the-year negotiation. I think that’s … really an effort to kill it,” Rep. Garret Graves.
The talk is about trying to make it part of the end-of-the-year negotiation. I think that’s… really an effort to kill it.”
Representative Garrett Graves
Action Needed: Please click here or call (202) 224-3121 and tell your senators to support this critical legislation and push for a vote before the end of the year.
NARVRE Members: Please insist that our Senators finally support S.597 in the time left. Thank you.