The full Senate passed late Friday H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, which would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) provisions of Social Security. The bill, which passed in the House by a 327-75 vote on Nov. 12, now goes to President Joe Biden for his signature.
The GPO applies to those eligible for spousal or widowed benefits, while the WEP applies to those eligible for their own Social Security benefits. Congress enacted legislation reducing Social Security benefits through GPO and WEP in 1977 and 1983, respectively.
Individuals who receive a pension based on work for federal, state or local government not withholding Social Security taxes may have had their Social Security benefits reduced through these two provisions.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Friday that "tonight, the Senate finally corrects a 50-year mistake by passing the Social Security Fairness Act. Millions of retired teachers and firefighters and letter carriers and state and local workers have waited decades for this moment. No longer will public retirees see their hard-earned Social Security benefits robbed from them, thanks to this bill."
