Justice is returning to Social Security for millions of retired firefighters, police officers, teachers and other public employees.
By a vote of 76 to 20, the US Senate passed the Social Security Fairness Act – a bipartisan bill to repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) – early Saturday morning.
“For over 40 years, retired firefighters and other public servants have had their pension benefits stolen by the United States Congress. But today, in a rare bipartisan move, the United States Senate stood up and said, “No more!” and voted to finally give retirees the benefits they paid for and deserve,” said President General Edward Kelly. “This bill will improve the lives of millions of retired public servants.”
The bill will now head to the White House, where it will be signed and signed into law.
The vote to repeal WEP and GPO came just a week after the IAFF-led labor rally at the Capitol. Leaders of America's largest labor unions and members of Congress, including current Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), joined Kelly at the event to call for the repeal of the two sentences.
“I want to thank our brothers and sisters in organized labor who stood with us as we passed this legislation and our friends on Capitol Hill who voted to right this decades-old injustice,” Kelly said.
Currently, more than 2 million retired public employees are affected by WEP and GPO, with many seeing their benefits reduced by more than $500 each month. Had the Social Security Fairness Act not passed this Congress, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that an additional $195 billion in Social Security benefits would be withheld from retirees over the next decade.
For over 40 years, retired firefighters and other public servants have had their pension benefits stolen by the United States Congress. But today, in a rare bipartisan move, the United States Senate decided to say no more and voted to finally give retirees the benefits they paid for and earned.
President General Edward Kelly
Repeal of WEP/GPO would not have been possible without the efforts of thousands of IAFF members who contacted their legislators and urged them to vote for the bill. More than 30,000 individual emails were sent to members of Congress through the IAFF's Advocacy Center calling for the law's passage.
“It was incredible to see how many members reached out to their senators and told them how firefighters feel about restoring dignity in retirement,” Kelly said. “Our members made a real difference in getting this bill across the finish line.”
I want to thank our brothers and sisters in organized labor who helped us pass this legislation and our friends on Capitol Hill who voted to right this decades-old wrong.
President General Edward Kelly
The Social Security Fairness Act was the most bipartisan bill introduced in this Congress. More than 300 House members and 62 senators signed the bill as co-sponsors.
The IAFF's lobbying efforts were critical in getting this legislation to the President's desk. To learn more about the work your union does for you in Washington, click here.