January 2 – Washington, D.C. – The Senate last week passed legislation introduced by bipartisan Sen. Sherrod Brown, which would ensure public employees and their families receive full Social Security benefits after two previous bills reduced them.
Brown’s bill, the Social Security Fairness Act, would repeal the windfall removal and government pension offset provision from the Social Security Act. Both laws dramatically reduced benefits for nearly 3 million Americans, including 241,755 Ohioans, many of whom are police officers, firefighters, bus drivers, teachers and workers in state, county and local governments.
The legislation now heads to the president’s desk.
Brown, an Ohio Democrat, has been fighting for the Social Security Fairness Act since serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. He became the bill’s first Democratic leader in 2015, when the bill had just 20 members in the previous Congress. This year, the bill was approved by 62 members and passed the Senate by 76 votes. During the past two years, Brown succeeded in securing the support of US Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, a Democrat from New York.
“We have spent decades working to pass this legislation, and tonight is a victory for all public employees who will finally receive the Social Security they have earned,” Brown said. “Tonight, Congress confirmed that police officers, firefighters, teachers and public employees across Ohio will be able to retire with the Social Security they spent their lives paying in.”
The Windfall Elimination Provision, passed in 1983, reduces Social Security benefits for workers who receive pensions from the federal, state, or local government for work not covered by Social Security.
The State Pension Compensation Act, passed in 1977, reduces Social Security spousal benefits for husbands, widows, and widowers whose spouses receive pensions from the federal, state, or local government. Together, these provisions reduce Social Security benefits for about 3 million Americans — including many teachers and police officers.
In June, Brown held a field hearing in Columbus, where Ohio public servants testified to the urgent need to pass the bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act, legislation that would repeal two sections of current law that unfairly disenfranchise Reducing Social Security benefits earned by public sector employees.
Brown worked across the aisle to secure 62 Senate co-sponsors to support the legislation. United States: The House of Representatives passed this legislation by an overwhelming majority in November.
