Action Alert : Where Are the Candidates on GPO/WEP?

Remember that many of those candidates running for local, state and national office either have no idea about the GPO/WEP or don’t really understand the damage they do.  This is NOT a political endorsement, but we have decided to share the section below of Elizabeth Warren’s lengthy statement on Social Security. It is concise and has some recent figures on the retirees affected. Challenge your candidates for any office to match her position on Social Security Fairness!

“My plan also ensures that public sector workers like teachers and police officers get the full Social Security benefits they’ve earned.”

“If you work in the private sector and earn a pension, you’re entitled to your full pension and your full Social Security benefits in retirement.  But if you work in state or local government and earn a pension, two provisions called the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset can reduce your Social Security benefits.  WEP slashes Social Security benefits for nearly 1.9 million former public-sector workers and their families, while GPO reduces—and in most cases, eliminates—spousal and survivor Social Security benefits for 700,000 people 83% of whom are women.”

“My plan repeals these two provisions, immediately increasing benefits for more than two million former public sector workers and their families, and ensuring that every current state and local government employee will get the full Social Security benefits they’ve earned.”

Additional notes:

There are also Federal workers who are affected by the offsets.

There are retirees living in every state who are affected.

Go to our website: https://ssfairness.org/gpo-wep-information/ and look through (or print out) the Congressional Research Reports to find more detailed information on the unfair offsets.

Tell your story and challenge candidates to match the 32 Senators who are supporting S.521 and the 204 House Members supporting H.R.141. Click on the links at the top of our homepage, ssfairness.org, to check on both of your Senators and your Member of Congress. Thank you for staying in the fight with us!