NCPSSM Attends Signing of Social Security Fairness Act, Repealing WEP & GPO

Advocates for seniors and labor have been lobbying for decades to repeal two provisions of Social Security law that penalized public sector retirees and their families --- the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). On Sunday, the efforts of the advocacy community paid off, when President Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law. The new law eliminates the WEP & GPO, allowing some 2.5 million public sector retirees and spouses to collect full Social Security benefits. President Biden praised the law as a “big deal” for teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public servants “who dedicate their lives to their communities.” He said these retirees now will receive an average $360 monthly increase in Social Security benefits in 2025 --- and would also receive a lump sum payment for benefits they would have earned in 2024. The president said that the new law is in keeping with the basic promise of Social Security, “that all Americans should be able to retire with financial security and dignity.” NCPSSM CEO Max Richtman, political director Luke Warren, and communications director Walter Gottlieb attended the signing ceremony at the White House. Richtman said that the law represents the culmination of lobbying by the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare and myriad other groups to restore fairness to the system. “President Biden’s signing of the Social Security Fairness Act truly is historic. The new law rights a wrong that has either reduced or eliminated the Social Security benefits of certain government retirees. Nearly 3 million public sector employees and families will now be eligible to collect their full Social Security benefits.” – Max Richtman, NCPSSM President & CEO The bipartisan bill passed the House in November, with the Senate vote coming at the very end of the 118th Congress’ in late December. Three of the bill’s sponsors attended the signing ceremony: Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), former Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). The bill’s Republican sponsor in the House, Rep. Garrett Graves (R-LA), did not attend. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is responsible for paying benefits to newly eligible public sector workers and families --- but has not yet specified how, promising to “provide more information as soon as available.” SSA also says that beneficiaries “do not need to take any action except to verify that we have your current mailing address and direct deposit information if it has recently changed. Most people can do this online with their personal My Social Security account without calling or visiting Social Security. Visit www.ssa.gov/myaccount to sign in or create your account. We will provide ongoing updates regarding implementation.” For more information on the Social Security Fairness Act, listen to our podcast interview with Jeff Cruz of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), one of the most forceful advocates for repeal of the WEP & GPO.
2025-01-06T18:31:59-04:00January 6th, 2025|Categories: Congress, Max Richtman, President Biden, Social Security, WEP & GPO|

Seven Falsehoods in Senator Mike Lee’s Social Security Post

Earlier this week, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) posted an extensive – and patently ridiculous – diatribe against Social Security on X (formerly Twitter).  The thread is full of falsehoods and misleading assertions about America’s most popular social insurance program. Senator Lee incorporates many tired myths that the political right propagates to undermine a successful government program they can’t stand – simply because it is a successful government program.
2024-12-04T17:07:23-04:00December 4th, 2024|Categories: Republicans, Senate, Social Security|

WEP & GPO Repeal Passes House: A Bi-partisan Victory for Public Sector Workers & Their Families

The U.S. House voted Tuesday night to repeal two highly unpopular provisions of Social Security law --- the WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision) and GPO (Government Pension Offset). These provisions, enacted more than 40 years ago, prevent millions of public sector employees and their families from collecting Social Security benefits. The Social Security Fairness Act, introduced by Rep. Garrett Graves (R-LA) and Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), would revoke WEP and GPO if passed by the Senate and signed by the president.
2024-11-21T11:18:54-04:00November 13th, 2024|Categories: Congress, Social Security, WEP & GPO|

Tester Opponent’s Ad Full of Falsehoods on Social Security

Montana GOP Senate candidate Tim Sheehy stooped to new lows in a recent ad that hit to the airwaves this Summer. In less than 30 seconds, the Koch-funded, billionaire-backed campaign unveiled a series of baseless claims on incumbent Senator. Jon Tester, attempting to misinform Montana seniors on who is looking out for their retirement security. We take a closer look at these lies, and where these two candidates really land on Social Security.
2024-09-18T14:32:21-04:00September 18th, 2024|Categories: Congress, Election 2024, Medicare, Senator Jon Tester, Social Security, Social Security Trust Fund|

Dems, Republicans Spar on Social Security at Senate Hearing

Senate Budget Committee chairman Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and his colleagues welcomed two panels to Capitol Hill today to host a range of discussions on Social Security. The first featured Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Martin O'Malley, focusing on the Administrations budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2025 and some of his accomplishments in the position. The second panel saw a group of experts join the committee to discus the preservation of Social Security forever and what needs to be done to strengthen America's retirement security.
2024-09-17T09:31:57-04:00September 13th, 2024|Categories: Budget, Congress, Democrats, GOP, Retirement, Senate, Social Security|

Harris, Dems Promise to Protect Seniors’ Earned Benefits at Convention

Along with powerful speakers from across the Democratic party (and even some Republicans), heartfelt personal testimonials, and a music-infused roll call, Social Security and Medicare played a prominent role during this week’s convention in Chicago.  Democrats hammered home the message that Kamala Harris will protect senior’s earned benefits while Donald Trump and Project 2025 pose a clear threat to Social Security and Medicare (despite Trump’s mixed-messages on the subject).
2024-08-23T15:58:27-04:00August 23rd, 2024|Categories: Election 2024, Kamala Harris, Medicare, Social Security|

Social Security Celebrates 89 Years of Keeping Seniors Financially Secure

Social Security turns 89 years old today. That’s nearly nine decades of providing baseline financial security to America’s retirees and their families --- and since 1956, to people with disabilities.  Today, 67 million people --- or 1 in 5 U.S. residents --- receive Social Security benefits. And in all these years, Social Security has never missed a payment. Not once.
2024-08-14T11:39:48-04:00August 14th, 2024|Categories: seniors, Social Security|

Our Fact Checker Says FactCheck.Org Missed the Bigger Picture on Trump, Social Security & Medicare

Late last month, FactCheck.org published an article titled 'FactChecking Vice President Kamala Harris' which included misleading claims on the two presidential candidates and their stances on Social Security and Medicare. The Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank, and other groups like it have taken positions that would seriously undermine the nation’s most popular social insurance program. Donald Trump cannot distance himself from these bad actors no matter how hard he tries, and they undoubtedly would play an influential role in a second Trump Administration. We chatted with our Government Relations and Policy Director, Dan Adcock, about some of the omitted details from FactCheck.org, and the big picture on Social Security in 2024. 

Tim Walz Brings Unwavering Support for Seniors to the Harris Campaign

Seventy percent of voters did not know who Tim Walz was before Kamala Harris picked him as her running mate on Tuesday.  As Americans learn more about the Minnesota Governor and newly-minted VP candidate, they will discover that he is a true champion for seniors --- and a welcome addition to the Democratic ticket. As our president and CEO, Max Richtman, put it, Tim Walz has built an impressive record on issues affecting older Americans as a congressman and later as governor
2024-08-07T16:27:44-04:00August 7th, 2024|Categories: Boost Social Security, Congress, Max Richtman, Medicare, Social Security|

Why We Endorsed Kamala Harris for President of the United States

“The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare proudly endorses Kamala Harris for President of the United States. As Vice President, she has championed President Biden’s policies on behalf of older Americans --- including strengthening Social Security and Medicare and lowering prescription drug prices for seniors. She has been in lockstep with the President in his pledge to protect Americans’ earned benefits against Republican proposals to cut and privatize them --- including Donald Trump.
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