WASHINGTON – The House passed the Social Security Fairness Act, which Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) is a co-sponsor of. This bipartisan legislation would eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) that unfairly reduce or eliminate Social Security benefits for millions of Americans working in public service, including federal employees, police officers, firefighters, and educators.

This bipartisan legislation is cosponsored by 330 members, 210 Democrats and 120 Republicans. In September, Pappas signed the discharge petition to force a vote on this legislation in the House.

“Hard-working Americans deserve the earned benefits that they paid into, whether it is Social Security, a pension, or both,” said Congressman Pappas. “Yet, for over 40 years, the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset have been unfairly reducing or eliminating the Social Security benefits of public servants that have paid into the program. This bipartisan legislation will eliminate these provisions to fix this wrongdoing for our police, firefighters, teachers, postal workers, and all public servants who pay into Social Security and have a pension. I’m pleased that this bill passed the House with bipartisan support, and I’ll always fight to protect and strengthen Social Security.”

Currently, the WEP reduces the earned Social Security benefits of an individual who also receives a public pension from a job not covered by Social Security. For example, educators who do not earn Social Security in public schools but who work part-time or during the summer in jobs covered by Social Security have reduced benefits, even though they pay into the system just like others. Likewise, the GPO affects the spousal benefits of people who work as federal, state, or local government employees, including police officers, firefighters, and educators, if the job is not covered by Social Security. The GPO reduces by two-thirds the benefit received by surviving spouses who also collect a government pension.

The WEP currently impacts approximately 2 million Social Security beneficiaries, and the GPO impacts nearly 800,000 retirees.

This bipartisan legislation is endorsed by the International Association of Firefighters, the National Association of Police Organizations, the American Postal Workers Union, and more.