JAN. 2025. Blues Vol 41 No. 1

AROUND THE

AROUND THE COUNTRYWASHINGTON, D.C.Senate passes Social Security Fairness Act to boost benefitsfor many public service retirees, waiting on Biden to sign.By Stephen GrovesAssociated PressWASHINGTON — The Senatepassed legislation early Saturdayto boost Social Securitypayments for millions of people,pushing a longtime priorityfor former public employeesthrough Congress in one of itslast acts for the year.The bipartisan bill, which nextheads to President Joe Biden,will eliminate longtime reductionsto Social Security benefitsfor nearly 3 million people whoreceive pensions from work infederal, state and local government,or public service jobs liketeachers, firefighters and policeofficers. Advocates say the SocialSecurity Fairness Act rights adecades-old disparity, thoughit will also put further strain onSocial Security Trust Funds.The legislation has been decadesin the making but the pushto pass it came together in thefinal weeks — and was completedin the final minutes — thatlawmakers were in Washingtonbefore Congress resets nextyear. All Senate Democrats, aswell as 27 Republicans, votedfor the bill, giving it a final tallyof 76-20.“Millionsof retiredteachers andfirefightersand lettercarriers andstate and localworkershave waiteddecades forthis moment.No longerwill publicretirees seetheir hardearnedSocialSecuritybenefits robbed from them,” saidSenate Majority Leader ChuckSchumer, D-N.Y.The bill repeals two provisions— the Windfall EliminationProvision and the GovernmentPension Offset — that limit SocialSecurity benefits for certainrecipients if they receive retirementpayments from othersources such as the public retirementprogram for a state orlocal government.“Social Security is a bedrock ofour middle class. It’s retirementsecurity that Americans pay intoand earn over a lifetime,” saidSen. Sherrod Brown, an OhioDemocrat who has pushed forthe proposal for years and willleave Congress after losing reelection.He added that the current restrictionsmake “no sense. Theseworkers serve the public. Theyprotect our communities. Theyteach our kids. They pay intoSocial Security just like everyoneelse.”People who currently havereductions in their Social Securitybenefits under the exceptionswould soon see a boost in theirmonthly payments. But thoseincreased payments would alsoadd an estimated 5 billion44 The BLUES - JANUARY ‘25

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