releases: https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senate-overwhelmingly-advances-senator-collins-social-security-fairness-act
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senate-overwhelmingly-advances-senator-collins-social-security-fairness-act | Senate Overwhelmingly Advances Senator Collins’ Social Security Fairness Act | 2024-12-18 | 2024 | 2024-12 | Republican | House | GA | Mike Collins | C001129 | www.collins.senate.gov | collins | https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases | scraper | Click HERE to watch her full floor remarks. Washington, D.C. – Today, the Senate overwhelmingly advanced the Social Security Fairness Act, a bipartisan bill authored by Senators Susan Collins and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), by a margin of 73-27. Today’s successful procedural vote indicates the bill likely has the support necessary for final passage later this week. This bipartisan bill, which passed the House last month by a vote of 327-75, would restore full Social Security benefits for teachers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other public servants by repealing two provisions of current law – the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) – that unfairly reduce the Social Security benefits that public employees receive. Earlier this year, Senators Collins and Brown called on Senate leadership to immediately bring their legislation, which has 62 Senate cosponsors—above the margin needed for passage—to the Senate floor for a vote. Senator Collins held the first Senate hearing on this policy in 2003 as Chair of the Senate Government Affairs Committee. She along with the late Senator Dianne Feinstein first introduced the Social Security Fairness Act in 2005. “Social Security is the foundation of retirement income for most Americans. Yet many teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public servants often see their earned Social Security benefits unfairly reduced by two provisions: the so-called Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset,” said Senator Collins during her remarks. “According to the Social Security Administration, in November 2024, more than 2 million people, including more than 20,000 in Maine, had their Social Security benefits reduced by the WEP. Similarly, more than 650,000 people were affected by the GPO in November of 2024, including more than 6000 in Maine.” “Let me give you one example. Catherine Sjogren from Bangor, Maine, told me about having to reenter the workforce at age 72 after retiring from teaching for many decades,” Senator Collins continued. “Her husband, a Navy veteran, paid into Social Security for 40 years. When he passed away, the GPO reduced Catherine's widow benefits by two-thirds. She did not have the financial security any longer to remain retired, and the GPO penalty left her with few choices but to return to work. Our dedicated public servants, such as our teachers who help prepare our children for future success, or our police officers and firefighters who help keep our communities safe, should receive the full Social Security benefits that they have earned.” “Senator Collins has been at this bill for now more than two decades. And I know from our pension bill, I know from the child tax credit, I know from the PACT Act, I know from a whole lot of issues, that this stuff takes time, but 21 years is ridiculous. And we need to move forward on this, and I so appreciate that she kept this alive,” said Senator Brown during remarks on the Senate Floor. More than 25,000 Mainers, who dedicated their lives to public service, are prevented from receiving the full Social Security benefits they earn due to two laws from the 1970s and 1980s. The Windfall Elimination Provision, enacted in 1983, reduces the Social Security benefits of workers who receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government for employment not covered by Social Security. The Government Pension Offset, enacted in 1977, reduces Social Security spousal benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers whose spouses receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government. The Social Security Fairness Act would repeal both of these laws, ensuring teachers, law enforcement, firefighters, park rangers, and other public sector workers and their families receive the full Social Security benefits they’ve earned. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z | 2026-04-06T19:07:19Z |