Senate Passes Social Security Fairness Act, Ending GPO-WEP Provisions

Senate Approves Milestone Legislation Benefiting Public Service Workers

In a significant move towards ensuring retirement security, the U.S. Senate has passed the Social Security Fairness Act with a 76-20 vote, marking a pivotal victory for public service workers.

The bill, aimed at abolishing the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) provisions, successfully cleared the House of Representatives last November and now awaits the signature of President Joe Biden to become law. Details of the bill can be found here.

AFSCME members have been relentless in their advocacy for this change. AFSCME President Lee Saunders emphasized the long-standing effort, stating, “This historic victory for public service workers is a product of nonstop advocacy and perseverance. For years, AFSCME members have sounded the alarm on GPO-WEP, which denied some public service workers their Social Security benefits simply for pursuing careers that help others.” More of his statement is available here.

Key figures in this legislative push include Sen. Sherrod Brown and Reps. Garret Graves and Abigail Spanberger, whose leadership was pivotal in advancing the bill. Other labor unions also played a significant role alongside AFSCME in this endeavor.

For four decades, the GPO-WEP has impacted nearly 3 million retirees in public service by reducing their Social Security benefits. The fight to repeal these provisions has been fueled by AFSCME's working and retiree members, who have actively campaigned through numerous phone calls and letters to elected officials, totaling over 8,000 calls and 28,000 letters.

The activism didn't stop there. AFSCME members also engaged in rallies, online campaigns, and more, which significantly contributed to the successful outcome. More details about their activism efforts can be found here.