Respect Public Service:
Repeal Social Security Offsets

Update on NEA's Campaign To Eliminate GPO/WEP

January 26, 2007

The Latest News:

Press Conference Scheduled on Social Security Fairness Act

Representatives Berman (D-CA) and McKeon (R-CA) have scheduled a press conference for Tuesday, February 6 to announce the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82) and call attention to the need for repeal of the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision. NEA President Reg Weaver has been invited to speak at the press conference.

CALL TO ACTION: February 5-9.

To correspond with the press event in Washington, DC, NEA is sponsoring a Call to Action with a focus on garnering media attention around the offsets.

Suggested Actions:

• Submit a letter to the editor and/or an op-ed to your local newspaper. (See the sample letter to the editor ).
  
  
• Contact local reporters to pitch a story about the impact of the offsets on you, your school, and your community.
  
  
• Organize a rally or local press conference to send a clear message about the unfair GPO and WEP (See the sample press release ).
  
  
• Reach out to police, firefighters, and other impacted groups in your area to participate in joint media activities.

Remember to send all resulting media clips to Carrie Lewis at NEA (clewis@nea.org).

Cosponsor Lists Continue to Grow

The House version of the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82) now has 162 bipartisan cosponsors; the Senate version (S. 206) has 8 bipartisan cosponsors. The latest additions are:

House: Representatives Ackerman (D-NY), Andrews (D-NJ), Baldwin (D-WI), Bean (D-IL), Burgess (R-TX), Calvert (R-CA), Davis (R-VA), Garrett (R-NJ), Gohmert (R-TX), Granger (R-TX), Hinchey (D-NY), Lampson (D-TX), Lynch (D-MA), McCotter (R-MI), Meehan (D-MA), Neugebauer (R-TX), Renzi (R-AZ), Rogers (R-KY), Shays (R-CT), Slaughter (D-NY), Young (R-FL).

Senate: Senators Leahy (D-VT), Cantwell (D-WA)

See the complete list of House and Senate cosponsors.

Ongoing Action Needed:

• Thank Members who have cosponsored the bill and remind them that we need them to continue to advocate for movement of this important legislation.
  
  
• Urge all other Members of Congress to add their names as cosponsors to H.R. 82/S. 206.