Golden lauds enactment of Social Security Fairness Act

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) released the following statement after President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law on Sunday:

“Public employees such as teachers and first responders provide some of the most essential services in our country. For too long, people who paid into Social Security were punished for taking those public-sector jobs by government policies that reduced their Social Security benefits. This law will finally guarantee that they receive the full benefits they earned,” Golden said. “It’s also a testament to these Americans’ relentless pursuit of fairness, and proof that bipartisanship is still possible on Capitol Hill.”

The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) were enacted in 1983 to reduce Social Security benefits for public employees who already receive other retirement benefits. The WEP reduces payments by up to half for those receiving both Social Security and outside pensions that were excluded from payroll taxes. The GPO reduces payments by up to two-thirds for beneficiaries that receive both a government pension and spousal or survivor benefits from Social Security. 

Last month, the Social Security Fairness Act — which repealed those reductions — passed the House 327-75 and the Senate 76-20. 

Last year, more than 30,000 Mainers had their Social Security payments reduced because of the WEP and GPO.

Golden has worked to repeal the WEP and GPO since arriving in Congress, cosponsoring legislation to do so during each of his terms. Last year, he joined his colleagues to force a vote on the long-blocked bill with a Discharge Petition. 

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