Social Security Fairness Act passes House, heads to Senate. See Louisiana leaders’ reactions
BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — The U.S. House passed House Resolution 82, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023, on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The bill will now head to the U.S. Senate.
H.R. 82 aims to eliminate two provisions in the United States, including the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). The bill, which is co-authored by U.S. Rep. Garrett Graves and U.S. Abigail Spanberger, passed the U.S. House of Representatives with a vote of 327-75.
“The WEP and GPO prevent federal retirees like police, teachers, firefighters, state workers and their spouses who earned pension from those careers from collecting their full social security benefits earned while working outside of government, affecting over two million Americans, including thousands in Louisiana,” reads a news release from U.S. Congressman Troy A. Carter.
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The WEP decreases social security benefits for workers who paid into both a civil service pension from their time in government employment and social security, according to information provided by Graves.
Meanwhile, the GPO decreases by two-thirds the retirement of disability pension from a federal, state, or local government for spouses and widows or widowers if the spouse or widow did not pay in themselves, according to a news release from Graves.
Louisiana leaders react to the House passing H.R. 82
“WEP and GPO are harmful provisions that slash public servant’s social security benefits. I signed the discharge petition to bring the Social Security Fairness Act to the floor and I’m proud tonight the House passed it. Our teachers, police officers, and other federal employees should not be penalized when it comes to collecting their pension. We must change this antiquated law and give people the benefits they’ve earned!”
U.S. Congressman Troy A. Carter
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“Congress has frequently fallen short on the will of We, the People, but today was a step in the right direction in restoring righteousness. For years, the halls of the House and Senate have been an echo chamber of empty
U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins
“After 40 years of fighting, police, firefighters, teachers, first responders and many other public servants got their vote in the House to repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset. And it passed!”
U.S. Rep. Garret Graves via X
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