Fri Dec 27 15:30:00 UTC 2024: ## Senate Passes Social Security Fairness Act, Ending Decades-Long Fight for Public Sector Retirees

**Washington, D.C.** – In a late-night vote, the Senate passed the Social Security Fairness Act, delivering a victory for millions of public sector retirees after a decades-long struggle. The bill, which repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), now heads to President Biden’s desk for his signature.

The 76-20 vote marks the culmination of years of advocacy by public employee groups. WEP and GPO have reduced or eliminated Social Security benefits for approximately 2.4 million federal retirees, including those in the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), as well as teachers, firefighters, and law enforcement officers. WEP reduces benefits for those with both public and private sector work histories, while GPO similarly impacts surviving spouses of public sector employees, often resulting in a complete loss of benefits.

“This is something we’ve been working on for 40 years,” said John Hatton, staff vice president of policy and programs at the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. He described the provisions as “penalizing people simply because they’ve earned their government pension.”

While the bill enjoys broad bipartisan support, it has faced criticism from some Republicans who argued that repealing WEP and GPO would negatively impact Social Security’s financial stability. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, for example, estimates that the repeal could accelerate the program’s insolvency.

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a key supporter of the bill, acknowledged the long wait for resolution but expressed relief that the “longstanding injustice” has been addressed. The act will ensure that public sector retirees receive the Social Security benefits they earned, supporters say. The House passed the bill in November.

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