Social Security Advisory Board Calls for WEP Repeal

congressman kevin brady

Washington, DC— U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady, (R-TX) released the following statement on the publication of The Windfall Eliminations Provision: It’s Time to Correct the Math, a report by the Social Security Advisory Board. In the report the advisory board recommends Congress replace the three-decade old Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) with a new formula that is used by Congressmen Brady and Neal’s Equal Treatment of Public Servant Act.

The Equal Treatment for Public Servants Act of 2015 replaces the WEP, which docks some public servants more than $400 a month in Social Security benefits, with a Social Security formula based on equal treatment and the real-life contributions of workers in Social Security substitute programs.

“It’s time to repeal the WEP and restore hard-earned Social Security benefits to teachers, police and firefighters. Like other workers who pay into Social Security and earn a retirement at work, they deserve equal treatment based on their real-life contributions. This bill provides fairness to our local public servants and strengthens the solvency of Social Security in the long term. Now it’s time to move this bipartisan proposal forward.”

Congressman Richard E. Neal said, “As someone who has worked tirelessly to preserve and protect Social Security, I am pleased to be an original sponsor of this important bipartisan legislation. Treating our teachers and public servants fairly when it comes to their Social Security benefits is not an unreasonable proposal. I strongly believe these public employees should be treated the same as any other hard working member of the American family. Social Security is one of our country’s greatest achievements, and by repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision, we will ensure that teachers and public servants receive the retirement benefits they have earned.”

Background: The Social Security Advisory Board, an independent bipartisan government agency established in 1994 to advise the President, the Congress, and the Commissioner of Social Security on matters of policy and administration of  the Old-age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (Social Security) and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. The board recently released The Windfall Elimination Provision: It’s Time to Correct the Math.

While the board does not endorse legislation it does support a proportional formula to replace WEP for future retirees as described in H.R. 711, the Equal Treatment for Public Servants Act.

The Board’s full report can be found here.

Congressmen Brady and Neal introduced H.R. 711, the Equal Treatment for Public Servants Act. It repeals the 1980’s era WEP which impacts 1.3 million public servants who earn a pension at work as well as in Social Security. The WEP can dock monthly Social Security benefits as much as $413 a month. Instead, H.R. 711 bases Social Security on real life earnings and work history.

4 Responses to "Social Security Advisory Board Calls for WEP Repeal"

  1. I see comments above about WEP from 2016. Why are you, again, bringing up WEP as through something will be done about it? Men are in control os women’s finances and, in this context, mostly women, single mothers and old (78) retired teachers continue to be beaten up by WEP. My letter from Representative the honorable Richard E Neal asked for money. IF THOSE DAMAGED BY WEP, DO YOU THINK THAT WE HAVE EXTRA MONEY?

    PLEASE HELP US….. EVEN THOUGH YOU’RE A MAN.

  2. WIDOWS NEED HELP NOW! Kent Conrad and James Lockhart….think that Soc Security should be MORE FAIR to Widowed Women! Conrad thinks widowed women should GET THEIR OWN BENEFITS and 3/4 of their DECEASED SPOUSE’S BENEFITS! This model for Soc Sec would keep Widowed Women OUT OF POVERTY!!! REPEAL: WEP & GPO for Widowed Women WHO TEACH IN MISSOURI! Tell Congressmen to PASS: HR 973 & S 1651. OR….Time To Correct the MATH FOR WEP….per Kevin Brady’s HR 711.

    Social Security Advisory Board should be publishing a POSITION PAPER on the GOVERNMENT PENSION OFFSET….and the harmful effects it causes for widows…by the end of this year! Just as BRADY has said…TIME TO CORRECT THE MATH FOR WEP…the SSAB….should be documenting that it’s TIME TO CORRECT THE MATH FOR WIDOWS!!! WE EARNED AND DESERVE OUR SURVIVOR BENEFITS!!!

    I asked NEA lobbyist…Al Campos…questions about GPO….and he couldn’t answer my questions !!! I have paid NEA union dues for 25 years! I need to know about the 60 months exemption for GPO. Supposedly…if you work the LAST 60 MONTHS…IN A POSITION THAT PAYS INTO SOC SECURITY…AND THE JOB IS IN THE SAME RETIREMENT SYSTEM….YOU CAN BE EXEMPTED FROM GPO . Has anyone tried this? What do you know about GPO….that I don’t know ?????

    Oh—-Pat Toomey (Penn) supports S 3303….but it would ONLY REPEAL…WEP & GPO….FOR POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS. WHY DOESN’T S 3303…INCLUDE HARD-WORKING TEACHERS……ESPECIALLY WIDOWS ???????

    There’s suppose to be a law…that all new teachers in Missouri…are suppose to SIGN A PAPER….stating that the SCHOOL DISTRICT…has INFORMED THEM ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY…AND THE 2 LAWS….WEP & GPO. I just asked a NEW TEACHER….if she signed her paper….SHE SAID SHE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT! I personally don’t think the LAW is being followed. I know NEA….NEVER TALKS ABOUT WEP & GPO!!! Whenever I tell someone about these 2 LAWS…..they don’t believe me! My Fnancial Planner and Tax advisor….were completely unaware of WEP & GPO !!!

  3. I totally agree and this is way past due. time to eliminate the wep and gpo is now!!!

  4. WIDOWS NEED HELP NOW! Kent Conrad and James Lockhart….think that Soc Security should be MORE FAIR to Widowed Women! Conrad thinks widowed women should GET THEIR OWN BENEFITS and 3/4 of their DECEASED SPOUSE’S BENEFITS! This model for Soc Sec would keep Widowed Women OUT OF POVERTY!!! REPEAL: WEP & GPO for Widowed Women WHO TEACH IN MISSOURI! Tell Congressmen to PASS: HR 973 & S 1651. OR….Time To Correct the MATH FOR WEP….per Kevin Brady’s HR 711.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.