Respect Public Service:
Repeal Social Security Offsets

Update on NEA's Campaign To Eliminate GPO/WEP

February 7, 2007

The Latest News:

Congress Holds Press Conference on Social Security Fairness Act

Representatives Berman (D-CA), McKeon (R-CA), and Doggett (D-TX) held a well-attended press conference on Tuesday, February 6 to call for repeal of the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision. NEA president Reg Weaver spoke at the press conference along with NEA member Peg Cagle, who became a math teacher in Los Angeles after 15 years in the private sector. Other speakers included representatives from the Fraternal Order of Police, National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

In his remarks, NEA President Weaver called on Congress to act immediately to pass the Social Security Fairness Act, calling it "an issue of fairness, justice, and respect." Peg Cagle spoke eloquently of her reasons for changing careers, and of wanting to make a difference in the lives of her students. She told Congress that the offsets are "unfair to the current work force and seriously compromise the ability of our schools to recruit knowledgeable and passionate mathematicians and scientists to become teachers at a time when they are needed more than ever."

Cosponsor Lists Continue to Grow

The House version of the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82) now has 182 bipartisan cosponsors; the Senate version (S. 206) has 10 bipartisan cosponsors. The latest additions are:

House: Brian Baird (D-WA), Charles Boustany (R-LA), Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL), Michael Conaway (R-TX), Ralph Hall (R-TX), Ron Lewis (R-KY), Gary Miller (R-CA), Jeff Miller (R-FL), Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV), Collin Peterson (D-MN), Deborah Pryce (R-OH), Mike Thompson (R-CA), and Patrick Tiberi (R-OH).

Senate: Sherrod Brown (D-OH)

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 .