The U.S. House of Representatives took a historic step last night by voting to repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). Now, it’s the U.S. Senate’s turn to make this repeal a reality.
The House vote passing H.R. 82 is a major milestone. Dedicated Connecticut teachers, educators from other states, and municipal employees ensured this historic victory. CEA members’ efforts and advocacy made a powerful difference in moving this legislation forward.
H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, would repeal WEP/GPO, laws that reduce or eliminate Social Security benefits for teachers and other public service workers.
“CEA has been at the forefront of this issue, and we are beyond proud of all of your efforts to get this passed in the House so that educators’ and other public servants’ hard-earned Social Security benefits will be valued and restored,” says CEA President Kate Dias. “These outdated policies have unfairly penalized so many of our colleagues, and we are closer than ever to eliminating this injustice.”
“While we should all take time to celebrate this historic victory, please know that our work is not done yet,” says CEA Vice President Joslyn DeLancey. “The next and final step is to ensure that the Senate follows suit by voting to repeal WEP/GPO as well. This is a rare opportunity, and it’s critical that we keep our momentum going. We have never gotten this far before, and with your continued support and our powerful united voice, we can push this all the way through.”
Contact your senators and urge them to repeal WEP/GPO.
As CEA and NEA embark on this next phase, we will keep members informed about the timeline for a Senate vote and additional actions everyone can take to help reach the finish line.
