In a landmark move early Saturday, the U.S. Senate approved the Social Security Fairness Act with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 76-20. This legislation aims to repeal two long-standing provisions, the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which have reduced Social Security benefits for nearly 3 million public service retirees.
The bill, which was put forward by outgoing Republican Congressman Garrett Graves of Louisiana, originally passed the House 327 to 75 (with one voting present). It now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk.
What Changes with This Bill?
The WEP and GPO provisions have historically penalized public service workers such as teachers, police officers, firefighters, and postal workers by limiting the Social Security benefits they or their families can receive if they also collect public pensions….
