Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) voted to pass H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act to protect social security benefits for retired North Carolina teachers, first responders, and other state and local public servants. This legislation will eliminate the unfair Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) from the Social Security Act of 1935. 

“Social Security is a lifeline for our seniors, ensuring every American can retire with dignity,” said Congresswoman Ross. “For far too long millions of hard-working Americans who paid into their Social Security benefits have been wronged by an outdated and unfair penalty in the system. The Social Security Fairness Act will ensure that people who dedicated their careers to public service and paid into the system rightfully get the benefits they have earned.” 

Currently, the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) affects more than 2 million Social Security beneficiaries. The WEP reduces the earned Social Security benefits of an individual who also receives a public pension from a job not covered by Social Security. Likewise, the GPO impacts nearly 800,000 retirees. The GPO affects the spousal benefits of people who work as federal, state, or local government employees — including police officers, firefighters, and educators — if the job is not covered by Social Security. The GPO reduces by two-thirds the benefit received by surviving spouses who also collect a government pension.

Congresswoman Ross is a cosponsor of the bipartisan and bicameral Social Security Fairness Act, which has 330 cosponsors. The legislation now moves to the Senate for a vote.