Millions Of Public Employees To See Boosted Social Security Payments After Biden Signed Social Security Fairness Act Into Law

Millions of retired public employees will now receive higher Social Security payments. President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law on January 5. The new legislation addresses reductions caused by two long-standing provisions – the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). 

The Social Security Fairness Act removes these two provisions, which have reduced Social Security payments for individuals who also received pensions from public sector jobs for decades. Advocates have argued that the WEP and GPO unfairly penalize public workers by taking away benefits that they've contributed to. 

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"Americans who have worked hard all their lives to earn an honest living should be able to retire with economic security and dignity," President Biden said at the signing. "That's the entire purpose of the Social Security system crafted by Franklin Delano Roosevelt nearly 90 years ago."

Nearly three million people will feel the immediate impacts of this law, many of whom are retired public employees or their surviving spouses. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that eliminating the WEP would boost 2.1 million beneficiaries' monthly payments by an average of $360. It also estimated that ending the GPO would increase monthly benefits by an average of $700 for 380,000 spouses and $1,190 for 390,000 surviving spouses. 

President Biden also announced that over 2.5 million people will receive a lump-sum payment of thousands of dollars to compensate for the shortfall in benefits they should have received in 2024. 

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Among those advocating for the bill was 17-year-old Eliseo Jimenez, who walked 1,600 miles from Texas to Washington, D.C., in honor of his grandmother. This retired teacher struggled without her full Social Security benefits. President Biden celebrated Eliseo's dedication during the signing ceremony, saying, "Your grandmom would be proud."

The bill's passage marked a rare moment of bipartisan cooperation. During the ceremony, President Biden thanked members of both parties for their efforts, including Sen. Susan Collins and Rep. Abigail Spanberger. He credited labor leaders and other advocates who pushed for the change over decades. "This victory is the culmination of a forty-year fight to provide security for workers who dedicated their lives to their communities," Biden said.

The signing of the Social Security Fairness Act highlights a broader conversation about the future of Social Security in the United States. President Biden reiterated his commitment to protecting and expanding benefits while calling for the wealthiest Americans to contribute more to sustain the program for future generations.

This law marks a long-awaited step toward fairness and financial stability for millions of public employees and their families. 

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