Below is the a press release from Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX) and his lead co-sponsor Congressman Richard Neal (D-MA)
February 6, 2015 – A bipartisan bill has been filed in the U.S. House of Representatives to treat teachers, firefighters and police officers who paid into Social Security the same as other American workers. U.S. Representatives Kevin Brady (R-Texas) and Richard Neal (D-Massachusetts), senior members of the House Ways & Means Committee, are leading the effort to alter the controversial Social Security provision known as the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP).
“Our bill strengthens the solvency of Social Security while guaranteeing our public servants receive the full benefits they earned when paying into the program,” said Brady. “Those who teach our children and protect and serve us everyday deserve equal treatment when they retire. Social Security benefits should be based on your real-life contributions, not some arbitrary formula.”
“If Americans are going to enjoy their golden years financially secure and comfortable, they must have a sound retirement plan. That is why I have been a strong supporter of the Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act. Our dedicated public employees have paid into Social Security and they are entitled to their full benefits, just like any other worker. I am happy to join with my colleague Congressman Kevin Brady in a bipartisan effort to provide fair and just treatment for our retired public employees,” said Congressman Richard E. Neal.
Brady and Neal introduced H.R. 711, the Equal Treatment for Public Servants Act. It repeals the 1980’s era WEP which impacts 1.3 million public servants who earn a pension at work as well as in Social Security. The WEP can dock monthly Social Security benefits as much as $413 a month. Instead, H.R. 711 bases Social Security on real life earnings and work history.
From OPM:
What is the Windfall Elimination Provision?
If you receive a Federal pension and are also eligible for Social Security benefits based on your own employment record, a different formula may be used to compute your Social Security benefit. This formula will result in a lower benefit. The Windfall Elimination Provision affects workers who reach age 62 or become disabled after 1985 and are first eligible after 1985 for a Federal pension.
The Windfall Elimination Provision does not apply if:
- You were eligible to retire before January 1, 1986; or,
- You were first employed by the government after December 31, 1983; or,
- You have 30 or more years of substantial earnings under Social Security.
Dear Rep. Neal,
I moved from Franklin, MA 5 years ago to CT and taught school in Weston, MA for 16 years. My husband passed away 11 years ago, and I am unable to collect Survivor Benefits. I also worked and earned 40 quarters for social security, but collect very minimal on this.
Here I am 75 years old and am still working at a school to keep up with the bills. Could you please continue to fight for the repeal of the Windfall Act and amend the GPO. This is so unfair, since I earned these benefits.
I personally am very hard hit and would greatly appreciate your help in this matter.
Nancy Bremer
WIDOWS NEED HELP NOW! Kent Conrad and James Lockhart….think that Soc Security should be MORE FAIR to Widowed Women! Conrad thinks widowed women should GET THEIR OWN BENEFITS and 3/4 of their DECEASED SPOUSE’S BENEFITS! This model for Soc Sec would keep Widowed Women OUT OF POVERTY!!! REPEAL: WEP & GPO for Widowed Women WHO TEACH IN MISSOURI! Tell Congressmen to PASS: HR 973 & S 1651. OR….Time To Correct the MATH FOR WEP….per Kevin Brady’s HR 711.
I hired on with the USPS late Nov. 1983. My Union informed me well, of the changes. And we were given the chose to move into FERS. I don’t know anyone who did that. I stayed with CSRS. I’m denied over $400 each month. I have personally visited the SS office several times, arguing that’s it’s MY money I’m owed. I have no other source of income, other that my pension and SS. If WEP is repealed it would make a HUGH difference to my budget.
Congressman Brady and Congressman Neal, In behalf of all CSRS Retirees we thank you both for leading the effort to alter/repeal the controversial Social Security provision known as WEP. This was not right and unfair to people who had contributed to Social Security. People expecting to receive benefits when entitled to and be told that because you as someone are already receiving a federal pension and
also eligible for Social Security benefits, a different formula are used to compute and
resulting in lower benefits is unjustified.
Thank you Congressmen Brady and Neal. This is the right thing to do REPEAL this wrongful provision. We paid into social security and have earned the right to collect our FAIR share.With your sponsorship i believe this bill HR 711 ,will pass and become law. Can’t thank you enough We seniors really need the extra money we have earned but was taken away from us .I tell you what,If this becomes law ,i’m voting republican in November.
I worked as a teacher in New York State for 14 years contributing to social security. I then moved to California and worked as a School District administrator. The school district in California did not contribute to social security benefits. I became unexpectedly ill and had to retire early and applied for SSDI. After a 4 year long fight with the help of an attorney, I won my claim only to learn about WEP. I am outraged. I worked hard for both SS and my pension. No one has the right to take that away from any of us.
Both my husband and I fell into this category. We were very surprised to learn of this law only at the point when we decided to begin our Social Security benefits. If we had been advised prior to retirement we may well have made different career choices. However we relied on our yearly Social Security statements to advise us as to what our benefits would be. This annual statement should be considered a legal and binding contract between the government and the people who pay into the system. I do not understand how the government can come in and change a law without notification to the people it would impact. I began paying into SS in the 60’s. At which time a contract was created(I would pay into the system and when I retired I would receive a certain amount for the rest of my life). In 1983 the government passed a new law (windfall elimination) this law changed the contract. Is this really legal? I continued to receive statements that never notified me of the change. So I retired under the impression that I would receive both my state pension and ss. The cut in the amount i receive was a surprise. Please vote to correct this situation .