AFT’s Weingarten on the Passage of the Social Security Fairness Act

WASHINGTON—AFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement after the Social Security Fairness Act passed the Senate, capping a decades-long fight for retirement justice for educators, nurses, firefighters, first responders and other public employees:

“Today, justice was finally done for the millions of American workers who dedicated their lives to serving the public but had their retirements throttled by a punitive and unnecessary loophole. The Senate joined the House and delivered on its promise to pass the Social Security Fairness Act so that every public employee can retire with dignity and grace.

“This bill had wide bipartisan support from lawmakers and their constituents for one simple reason: It’s about basic fairness. President Biden, from the start of his administration, has acted decisively on retirement security and we hope he will sign the bill quickly.

“Everyone knows a teacher, firefighter, law enforcement officer, nurse or public worker who’s paid into Social Security year after year, only to have their payments curbed by the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset when they retire. Now, that penalty will be consigned to the dustbin of history, where it belongs.

“Ensuring a fair and secure retirement is how we respect the workers who uplift our communities. And it’s how we recruit and retain the next generation to help our country thrive.

“We are so grateful to the bill’s sponsors—Reps. Abigail Spanberger and Garret Graves and Sens. Sherrod Brown and Susan Collins—and to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for shepherding this bill through the legislative process. For our retirees and for our future, we, and the 118th Congress, have made a difference.”