[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 39 (Wednesday, March 1, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S570-S571]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BROWN (for himself, Ms. Collins, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. 
        Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. Casey, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. Cortez 
        Masto, Ms. Duckworth, Ms. Hassan, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Hickenlooper, 
        Mr. King, Mr. Markey, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Murphy, 
        Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Reed, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Smith, 
        Ms. Warren, and Mr. Whitehouse):
  S. 597. A bill to amend title II of the Social Security Act to repeal 
the Government pension offset and windfall elimination provisions; to 
the Committee on Finance.
  Ms. COLLINS. Madam President, I rise today, along with my colleague 
Senator Brown, to introduce the Social Security Fairness Act. The 
bipartisan bill would repeal two Social Security provisions that 
unfairly penalize many public servants in Maine and in other States.
  Social Security is the foundation of retirement income for most 
Americans. This crucial program has made the difference between poverty 
and a comfortable retirement for millions of seniors. Yet, some 
teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public servants 
often see their earned Social Security benefits unfairly reduced by two 
Social Security provisions: the windfall elimination provision and the 
Government pension offset.
  The Windfall elimination provision or W-E-P affects public servants 
who receive a pension from a job where they did not pay into Social 
Security but who also worked long enough in another job to qualify for 
Social Security benefits. Due to the WEP, their Social Security 
benefits are calculated using a different formula, which can reduce 
their monthly benefits. For workers who become eligible for benefits in 
2023, the WEP reduction can be up to $557.50 per month, subject to 
other adjustments.
  The Government Pension Offset GPO affects public servants who receive 
a pension from a job where they did not pay into Social Security and 
are also eligible to receive a Social Security spousal or widow(er)'s 
benefit. However, the GPO reduces Social Security spousal or 
widow(er)'s benefits by an amount equal to two-thirds of the noncovered 
pension.
  According to the Social Security Administration, in December 2022, 
more than 2 million people, including nearly 20,500 people in Maine, 
had their Social Security benefits reduced by the WEP. Similarly, 
nearly 735,000 people were affected by the GPO in December 2022, 
including more than 8,100 people in Maine. While the effects of the WEP 
and GPO are most acute in certain States, including Maine, data from 
the Social Security Administration indicate that these provisions 
affect public servants in all 50 States.
  Many Maine teachers have spoken with me about how the WEP and GPO 
affect their retirement security. I recently heard from a special 
education teacher in Kennebuck who has spent more than 40 years 
teaching and also held a second job in the private sector to help 
support her family after becoming a single parent. Due to the WEP, she 
is concerned about her financial security once she retires. A retiree 
in Mount Desert also reached out to me recently to share his story. He 
wants to make sure his wife, who is a public servant, will be taken 
care of after he is gone. Due to the GPO, he is concerned that any 
Social Security widow's benefits his wife receives will be 
substantially reduced.
  The bill we are introducing today, the Social Security Fairness Act, 
would repeal both the WEP and the GPO for Social Security benefits 
payable after December 2023. This means current Social Security 
beneficiaries would have their benefits recalculated without applying 
the WEP and GPO. Teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other 
public servants currently in the workforce would no longer have to 
worry about having their Social Security benefits unfairly reduced in 
the future. Those who are considering careers in public service would 
no longer have to weigh the potential negative effects of this choice 
on their future retirement security.
  Our dedicated public servants, such as our teachers who help prepare 
our

[[Page S571]]

children for future success and our police officers who help keep our 
communities safe, should receive the full Social Security benefits they 
have earned. It is time for us to take action to address the WEP and 
the GPO. I urge my colleagues to support the Social Security Fairness 
Act.

                          ____________________