Today, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) signed a discharge petition to bring H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, to the House Floor for a vote. The act aims to eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) from the Social Security Act. Currently, public service employees are unable to receive their full Social Security benefits if they are also receiving other forms of retirement benefits, such as a pension.
“I’ve heard from countless teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public service employees in the Central Valley about their frustration with having their social security benefits unfairly reduced,” said Congressman Valadao. “The Social Security Fairness Act will ensure these folks who dedicated their careers to public service and paid into the system receive the full Social Security benefits they’ve earned. I will continue working across the aisle to do what’s right by my constituents.”
Congressman Valadao has been a co-sponsor of the Social Security Fairness Act in both the 117th and 118th Congress. Earlier this year, he led the Problem Solvers Caucus endorsement of H.R. 82.
A discharge petition is a procedural tool that allows Members of Congress to bring a bill or resolution to the House Floor for consideration even if it has not been reported by committee or is not supported by majority party leadership. A discharge petition requires 218 signatures – a majority of the House – in order to successfully move a bill to the House Floor for a vote.
The WEP reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who receive a public pension from a job not covered by Social Security, while the GPO reduces benefits for surviving spouses, widows, and widowers who also receive government pensions of their own. Between them, WEP and GPO reduce benefits for roughly three million active and retired government employees.
H.R. 82 is endorsed by organizations including the National Fraternal Order of Police, the International Association of Firefighters, the American Postal Workers Union, and the American Federation of Government Employees.
