{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://clayhiggins.house.gov/2024/12/12/higgins-continues-to-urge-senate-to-pass-the-social-security-fairness-act/", "Higgins Continues to Urge Senate to Pass the Social Security Fairness Act", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "LA", "Clay Higgins", "H001077", "clayhiggins.house.gov", "clayhiggins", "https://clayhiggins.house.gov/category/press-releases/", "scraper", "\u201cWe must not allow the Senate to fail through inaction. We must pass H.R. 82, or it\u2019s dead. We cannot fail the American people.\u201d\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) delivered an open letter this week urging advocates to help push H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, through the U.S. Senate.\n\nThe letter is being circulated to organizations that have signaled public support for the bill:\n\nNational Fraternal Order of Police\n\nInternational Association of Fire Fighters\n\nNational Active and Retired Federal Employees Association\n\nAmerican Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees\n\nNational Association of Letter Carriers\n\nNational Rural Letter Carriers\u2019 Association\n\nNational Treasury Employees Union\n\nSenior Citizens League\n\nAmerican Federation of Teachers\n\nNational Education Association\n\nAmerican Federation of School Administrators\n\nPeace Officers Research Association of California\n\nCalifornia Retired Teachers Association\n\n\u201cThis is the best opportunity we have ever had to pass H.R. 82, and we must not let this moment go to waste,\u201d wrote Congressman Higgins in the letter. \u201cFor decades, both sides have recognized the failures of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). These provisions, originally meant to bring accountability to government benefits, have stolen countless billions of dollars that rightly belong to our nation\u2019s senior citizens.\u201d\n\nCongressman Higgins has advocated for this legislation for seven years. In September, Congressman Higgins became the eighth signature on the discharge petition that forced a vote on the House floor. The House passed H.R. 82 on November 12, 2024, and the bill remains on hold in the Senate waiting for a vote.\n\n\u201c62 Senators, including Chuck Schumer, cosponsored the Social Security Fairness Act. The House of Representatives has passed the Social Security Fairness Act, and it is being blocked in the Senate. We, the People, demand a clean vote on the Senate floor, yet these Senators who cosponsored SSFA are not demanding a vote,\u201d said Congressman Higgins in a statement last week. \u201cSenate rules allow 60 Senators to force a vote on the Social Security Fairness Act, and 62 have cosponsored the Social Security Fairness Act. America, call them, write them, demand their compliance. Make these Senators honor their own signature. A clean vote, yes or no, that\u2019s all we ask for.\u201d\n\nIn recent weeks, Congressman Higgins has also delivered letters to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Majority Leader-elect John Thune (R-SD), urging them to schedule a vote in the U.S. Senate.\n\nRead the letter to Social Security Fairness Act Advocates here", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://clayhiggins.house.gov/2024/12/12/higgins-continues-to-urge-senate-to-pass-the-social-security-fairness-act/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5959488227963448, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}