Bill Would Increase Social Security Payments For 2.5 Million Americans, Including Over 35,000 New Yorkers
Legislation Would Benefit State and Local Government Employees, Including Teachers, Firefighters, And Police Officers
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a virtual press conference urging the Senate to pass the Social Security Fairness Act, bipartisan legislation that would increase Social Security benefits for 2.5 million Americans, including thousands of police officers, firefighters, teachers, and other government employees who have dedicated their lives to serving their communities. Current law reduces Social Security benefits for workers who receive pensions based on earnings from employment that is not covered by Social Security and its payroll tax, meaning that government workers who hold non-governmental jobs during their careers are unfairly penalized. The Social Security Fairness Act would repeal these provisions that reduce Social Security benefits and would provide retirees with the full payments they are owed. The bill passed the House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support last week; now, Gillibrand is calling on the Senate to send it to President Biden’s desk immediately.
“Our public servants work hard their whole lives serving their communities,” said Senator Gillibrand. “When they retire, they deserve to receive the Social Security benefits they have earned, just like everyone else. This bill is a commonsense fix and I’m proud to cosponsor it. I urge my Senate colleagues to get it passed and to President Biden’s desk as soon as possible.”
The Social Security Fairness Act would repeal two harmful provisions that significantly reduce Social Security benefits for roughly 2.5 million Americans:
- The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which reduces the Social Security benefits of workers who also receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government for employment not covered by Social Security. In December 2023, about 2.1 million people (or about 3% of all Social Security beneficiaries) were affected by the WEP.
- The Government Pension Offset (GPO), which reduces Social Security spousal or survivor benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who also receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government for employment not covered by Social Security.
The bill was passed in the House last week by a margin of 327-75 and has 62 cosponsors in the Senate.