Government affairs

Today, the House Ways and Means Committee’s Social Security subcommittee held a hearing on the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and on legislation that was introduced last year, the Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act of 2015 (H.R. 711), which would base Social Security calculations on earnings and work history, creating a single benefit formula for all workers.

Rather than fully repealing both the WEP and Government Pension Offset (GPO), H.R. 711 calls for altering the formula to limit reductions.

NALC strongly supports H.R. 973, which would repeal both WEP and GPO, provisions that reduce the Social Security benefits of annuitants who have paid their fair share through their years of public service.

Unfortunately, H.R. 973 does not have the support needed to advance this Congress due to the projected cost of implementing the repeal. However, NALC believes H.R. 711 has the best possible chance for gaining further traction this Congress.

After the hearing, NALC President Fredric Rolando submitted a statement for the record praising the bill as a first step, but calling for the full repeal of both provisions. To view Rolando’s letter, click here.

For more information about why NALC supports a full repeal of both WEP and GPO, click here.

To view NALC’s fact sheet regarding this issue, click here.