WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) celebrated the signing of a bill championed by the Louisiana delegation to fully repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) following his months-long effort to secure a vote in the U.S. Senate. The Social Security Fairness Act, which passed the Senate by a vote of 76 to 20, ensures public sector workers and their families receive their full Social Security benefits by repealing the two unfair penalties that reduced benefits for nearly 3 million Americans.
“WEP and GPO are officially repealed! State and local workers in Louisiana are now not penalized for working in the public sector,” said Dr. Cassidy. “What a win for Louisiana families and Americans across our country. The next step is saving Social Security from insolvency so it can continue paying benefits to all who earn them.”
WEP was enacted in 1983 and reduces the Social Security benefits of workers who receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government for employment not covered by Social Security. GPO was enacted in 1977 and reduces Social Security spousal benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers whose spouses receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government. Together, these provisions reduce Social Security benefits for nearly 3 million Americans—including many teachers and police officers.
Cassidy spoke on the U.S. Senate floor ahead of the final Senate vote to pass the Social Security Fairness Act. He also spoke on the Senate floor as the Senate cleared the first procedural vote by a tally of 73-27.
Background
Cassidy successfully demanded a vote on the Social Security Fairness Act. In July and again in December, Cassidy spoke on the U.S. Senate floor urging Congress to repeal WEP and GPO as part of his “Big Idea” to save, strengthen, and secure America’s retirement system. In June, Cassidy entered a statement into the record urging the repeal of WEP and GPO ahead of the U.S. Senate Finance Subcommittee field hearing on Social Security.
Cassidy is a long-time cosponsor of the Social Security Fairness Act in the Senate, being an original cosponsor since he became a Member of Congress in 2009. He led the introduction of the legislation in the 117th and 116th Congress.
Cassidy led a bipartisan working group to preserve and protect Social Security. Last spring, he released the inaugural Bill on the Hill video where he asked Capitol Hill visitors from across the country their thoughts on the looming benefit cuts to Social Security and presented his “Big Idea.”
Last March, Cassidy grilled U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on President Biden’s plan to address Social Security, to which Secretary Yellen admitted “the president doesn’t have a plan,” to save Social Security.
Cassidy has discussed the “Big Idea” at a public forum with AARP on the future of Social Security, outlined his Social Security plan in a fireside chat with the Bipartisan Policy Committee, and authored op-eds in the Washington Examiner in July, the Wall Street Journal in March, and State Affairs and Washington Post in May.
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