House Approves Social Security Fairness Act

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82) by a bipartisan vote of 327-75, aimed at eliminating the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) which currently reduce Social Security benefits for approximately 2.8 million public service workers. Sponsored by Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA) and Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), the bill seeks to provide fairer retirement benefits to public employees such as teachers, firefighters, and police officers, many of whom are penalized for receiving government pensions. While proponents argue the bill is a crucial step toward equity, opponents warn it could exacerbate the financial strain on the Social Security trust fund, which is projected to face insolvency in about ten years. The bill now moves to the Senate where it is expected to receive support from a majority of senators. This legislative action follows a broader national dialogue on ensuring fair treatment for public servants in the Social Security system.