From Inside CFT (15 November 2024):
Social Security Fairness Act passes out of the House of Representatives
This week the House of Representatives passed H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, with an overwhelming majority vote of 327-75. The bipartisan bill would repeal the WEP/GPO penalties that substantially reduce or eliminate the EARNED Social Security benefits of thousands of CFT members and retirees.
Thanks to the nearly 2,500 CFT members who signed the CFT letter to their congressional reps in less than 24 hours in advance of the vote. The incredible response on a holiday shows how critical the bill is to the retirement security of CFT members.
“California’s educators and classified professionals applaud the House’s bipartisan vote in favor of H.R. 82,” said CFT President Jeff Freitas in a statement. “By repealing a long-outdated loophole in federal law that penalizes teachers and educators in retirement by slashing their hard-earned Social Security benefits, Congress – who, in a rare instance of bipartisanship, met the ⅔ required threshold to pass this bill – has made a powerful statement that educators who have spent their careers giving back to their communities deserve to retire with dignity.”
The Social Security Fairness Act now goes to the U.S. Senate, where its sister legislation (S. 597) already has 62 co-sponsors, including California Senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler. CFT leaders are already working with AFT to push for a vote on the bill ASAP.
This is an amazing first step toward the eventual repeal of the WEP and GPO. Please see the attached for more information on this topic. This affects CalSTRS members only, no impact on CalPERS members. We will keep everyone posted on what actions you can take to help ensure passage in the U.S. Senate.
In Solidarity,
Jim
Jim Mahler, President
AFT Guild, Local 1931