We Have the Co-signers to Repeal WEP/GPO NOW!

We need all of you to take action for Social Security Fairness now!

Congress is out until Sept 9, but their offices are open. Save this email with the info and resources you will continue to need to make an impact. Keep writing and calling their staff members. Our campaign is working. Keep it up! 

Status Now: There are enough co-signers to pass the bills to repeal the WEP and the GPO in both the House of Representatives, (HR 82 has 325 co-signers with 217 needed to pass) and in the Senate, (S 59 has 61 co-signers with 60 needed to pass). The House and the Senate are out on recess until Sept.9th, and they have lots of work to do before the end of the session.

BUT in the House:   Despite the large number of co-signers, House leadership is failing to bring the measure to a vote. The sponsors, Reps. Graves and Spanberger, are moving toward entering a discharge petition which, if successful, will force a floor vote on the bill. To do this will require each member to personally enter their name on the petition with the clerk on the House floor in the midst of all the other urgent business Congress still needs to do. Please tell your Representative we need them to personally sign the discharge petition as soon as it’s available when they get back in session. 

The House bill is currently being blocked from a vote by legislators in the Ways and Means Committee who insist that the bill has to be paid for by new money from outside the Social Security system. This is WRONG!  We and our spouses paid the same amount of money into FICA, the Social Security system, as everyone else did.

HOWEVER in the Senate: The sponsors of the Social Security Fairness Act, Sherrod Brown and Susan Collins, have formally asked Senate leadership to bring the Senate bill to the floor for a vote. See their letter here: https://www.collins.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/8724ssfaletter.pdf

THIS IS THE CLOSEST WEP AND GPO HAVE COME TO BEING REPEALED!  WE NEED TO KEEP THE PRESSURE ON! OUR CAMPAIGNS HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE. HERE IS A LIST OF THINGS YOU CAN DO NOW AND REPEAT AND REPEAT:

At the top of the home page of ssfairness.org there are direct links to the names of H.R. 82 and S.597 co-sponsors. Are your Senators and Members of Congress with us?

To contact your own Representative directly: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

To contact both your Senators: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm

SPECIAL: This Thursday, Aug.29, 7:00 ET,  join Connecticut Retired Teachers, who present terrific webinars explaining the offsets and answering questions. https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eCT69NEQTRSu-Ad25yFMrw#/registration

Sign up to participate in the quick and easy-to-do CalRTA weekly direct email blast campaign to selected legislators: https://calrta.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe

If you are on FaceBook, you can join this group and use all their links and resources: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1315898065249754

Use this Twitter handle:  @RepealWEP_GPO

Tell your story! Make it strong and succinct. 

1. Begin your story with a compelling statement:

  • I have lost more than $100,000 of my earned benefits!
  • I worked weekends for the Social Security benefits I need, and now I’m not getting them.
  • My husband thought the Social Security he paid for would help me after he died.
  • I was never told that I’d lose hundreds of dollars in benefits every month.

2.  Identify yourself as a constituent and explain who you are:

  • Name and city
  • Retired from what public employment
  • Retired from what public employment
  • Years worked in public and private employment or married to a FICA earner

3. Briefly explain how the offset/s affect/s you in more detail 3. Briefly explain how the offset/s affect/s you in more detail 

  • State the amount of money you will lose/have lost because of the offsets. 
  • Describe the effects on your life:   Had to sell home and leave friends and neighbors; Moved in with children; Had to apply for public assistance; Still working at age ______

4. Errors by agencies, if applicable:

  • I was never told about the offsets until _____, so I couldn’t plan.
  • The agent at the Social Security office didn’t understand these confusing offsets, so I was overpaid, and now I have to pay Social Security back. 

5.  Tell them to Repeal these unfair, badly-written, out-of-date provisions.

Call them, email them, send a postcard. Get your family and friends involved!  You deserve your paid-for Social Security benefits!