Action Alert #119 – We Have a New GPO/WEP Repeal Bill–H.R. 82

We have a new repeal bill.

Representative Rodney Davis from Illinois came through for us again! He introduced the Social Security Fairness Act on the very first day of the new session of Congress. It is H.R. 82.  As many of you know, every two years all the bills that haven’t been passed and signed into law have to be re-introduced with a new bill number. We had signatures from both parties and almost enough co-signers to force a vote in the House of Representatives last year.  This year we will get there!

Any “fixes,” short of repeal, that have been proposed have so many caveats that they end up introducing more inequities. And cause more confusion.  Just get rid of the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision!

We already have 21 co-signers — get your Representative on that list!

Call or email your elected Member of Congress. Find them at www.house.gov, and put their number on your speed dial.

Ask them to co-sign the new bill to repeal the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision because it affects YOU!

Tell them some of these facts they may not be aware of:

• The offsets affect people who have fully earned Social Security retirement or spousal benefits.
• Both the GPO and the WEP cause lower income people to lose a larger percentage of their retirement income than they do for wealthier retirees.
• Currently, more than half a million retirees lose ALL their earned spousal and survivor benefits because of the GPO.
• The cost to repeal both the GPO and the WEP is less than 2% of what Social Security pays out in benefits every year.
• The law requiring public employers to inform new employees that the offsets might affect their Social Security only became law in January, 2005. Many people still don’t understand the cuts to their benefits that are coming.