Action Alert #50 – Make an Appointment with Your Congress Member!

The most important thing we can do for the Repeal the GPO/WEP movement at this time is to cultivate a good relationship with our individual Members of Congress. Today’s Alert is to get you started on this process.

It is a great time to meet with your Congressional Representative in person during their recess, from March 24 – April 5. Some professional organizations, such as the California Retired Teachers Association, will have a team of members in Washington to talk in person to staff members responsible for advising on Social Security policy, or to any Congress Members who remain in D.C. But, there is a better chance you can meet with your Rep. when he/she is back home!

1. Rep Contact Info:
For your Rep’s website with their office phone go to: www.house.gov and put your zip code in the upper right corner.
Notice which District you are in CA 9, TX 4, etc. Your District may have changed this year.
Get a friend, fellow Offset victim, or family member to go with you to help make the case that you have been severely wronged.
Make the appointment!

2. Know your Rep’s Position on last GPO/WEP bill.
http://capwiz.com/nea/issues/bills/?bill=39298516&cs_party=all&cs_status=all&cs_state=ALL If your Representative is new to Congress, they may not even have heard about the GPO and WEP. It is also possible that continuing Members, even those who “co-sponsored” it do not fully understand the issues. We are waiting for a new bill to support, the last repeal bills died in the last “Congress.” ( A “Congress” lasts for two years. Bills have that period of time to be passed, and if they aren’t, they die and must be re-introduced in the next session. We have just begun the 113th Congress)

3. Begin to think about what you will say.
The most important part is your story. What has happened to you, to your savings and what you think is unfair. Think about how many years you or your spouse paid Social Security taxes and how much that has totaled? How much have you lost in earned benefits?

4. Plan your discussion points to back up your story.

We recommend viewing the two PowerPoint presentations on our website, one on the “Home” page and one on the “Our Case” page. In addition, we have prepared a handout called “Our Case” which lists the reasons the GPO/WEP are wrong. If you wish further details, this can be found on the “More Information” page. Next week we will send more detailed information about making your case, but please begin by making an appointment!

Useful links:
Our website: https://ssfairness.org
California Retired Teachers Association’s information for Lobby Day: http://div23.calrta.org/state/res_doc.html
National Education Association’s Social Security Offsets page:
http://www.nea.org/home/16491.htm

Emphasize the imprecise complexities of these offsets and how they must be repealed for a just Social Security system.

Righting this wrong may cost as much as $10 Billion a year, but that is less than 2% of what Social Security pays out in benefits each year.
We will persevere!