Social Security
HIGHLIGHTS
SPEAK OUT FOR SOCIAL SECURITY FAIRNESS, CO-SPONSOR BILL TO REPEAL GPO & WEP
A bipartisan bill was introduced in the House this week to repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which reduces public employees’ Social Security spousal or survivor benefits by two-thirds of their public pension, and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which reduces the earned Social Security benefits of an individual who also receives a public pension from a job not covered by Social Security. This week, Representatives Rodney Davis (R-IL) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced a bill that would amend Title II of the Social Security Act and repeal GPO and WEP. A bipartisan bill is expected to be introduced in the Senate the week of May 6.
TAKE ACTION TODAY!
- E-mail Congress — Tell your Representative to support and co-sponsor the bill to end GPO and WEP, and restore Social Security fairness.
REPEAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFSETS BACKGROUND AND ADVOCACY TOOLS
Other Ways to Get Involved:
- Use NEA’s Activist Toolkit to fight for GPO/WEP repeal
- Sign the Social Security Works Coalition’s “Strengthen Social Security, Don’t Cut It” petition
- Share your story about the importance of Social Security with the Social Security Works Coalition
Additional Background/Resources:
- Former NEA Social Security Fairness Chair, Lee Schreiner at National GPO/WEP Summit
- NEA's written submission to the Fiscal Commission, June 2010.
- Additional resources/fact sheets from the Social Security Works Coalition
- Testimony submitted for the record to House Ways and Means Committee, Subcommittee on Social Security, July 15, 2010
- House Ways and Means Subcommittee hearing on GPO/WEP January 2008
- Statement of NEA submitted to the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security, U.S. House of Representatives, February 2004
- Statement of NEA member Margaret Cagle
- The Latest News on GPO/WEP
- "Offsetting Priorities," NEA Today, March 2007
- Testimony of NEA Member Patty Myers to the Senate Finance Committee, 3/20/07
TAKE ACTION
Tell your Representative to support and co-sponsor the bill to end GPO and WEP, and restore Social Security fairness.
Video
Penalties for Public Service
See for yourself how unfair laws threaten the retirement security of educators. Women are disproportionately impacted. Tell Congress to support the Social Security Fairness Act and repeal laws that discourage qualified educators from the profession.
RELATED ITEMS
What Happened to My Retirement?
Some retired educators are paying a price for their years of public service. Does that sound fair to you?
RELATED TOPICS
The Basics
- NEA's Position on Social Security Offsets
- NEA on the Issues: Social Security
- NEA Messages to Congress
- NEA Testimony to Congress
- Real Stories from People Affected by the GPO and WEP
- NEA's Partners in the Coalition to Assure Retirement Equity
Does GPO/WEP Affect Me?
COMMENTS: