Congressman Garret Graves (South Louisiana) issued the following statement regarding Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced today that it would vote on Graves’ bill in the U.S. Senate HR82The Social Security Equity Act.

“The Senate Majority Leader has called for a vote on our bill, HR 82, assuming it receives the 60 votes needed to pass it. More than 60 senators support ours.” Social Security Equity Act. In the House, we led the effort for years to build the winning coalition that resulted in the most supported bill – the most popular bill – in Congress. We defied odds and fended off sneak attacks to successfully complete a dismissal motion that led to the first vote in history to repeal WEP and GPO. The heavy lifting is done. The path to victory couldn’t be clearer. Repeal of the WEP-GPO could be on the minds of millions of public sector retirees this Christmas. Pass HR 82 now!” said Garret Graves.

At a rally on Capitol Hill today in support of a Senate vote on Graves’ bill, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told supporters, “I’m here to tell you we’re calling the vote!” later in his remarks He added: “I’m here to tell you that the Senate will take action on the Social Security (Fairness Act).”

Leader Schumer’s remarks can be viewed HERE.

BACKGROUND

Congressman Garret Graves (R-LA) and Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) reintroduced it Social Security Equity Act in January 2023 at the start of the 118th Congress. In November 2023, Graves and Spanberger called on the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee to hold a hearing on reforms to the WEP and GPO – and a hearing was held later that month. In March 2024, lawmakers asked the committee to take the next step toward repealing WEP and GPO by imposing a surcharge on their bipartisan lines Social Security Equity Act. On September 23, 2024, Graves and Spanberger successfully completed a rarely used dismissal motion to force a vote on H.R. 82. On November 12, 2024, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the bill. Although it has remained in the Senate since that vote, Graves and Spanberger have consistently pushed for a Senate vote on the bill.

Currently, the WEP reduces the earned Social Security benefits of an individual who also receives a state pension from a job not covered by Social Security. For example, public school teachers who do not receive Social Security but work part-time or in the summer in jobs that require Social Security receive lower benefits, even though they pay into the system like others. Likewise, the GPO affects the spousal benefits of individuals who work as federal, state, or local government employees—including police officers, firefighters, and educators—if the job is not covered by Social Security. The GPO cuts the benefit of surviving spouses who also receive a state pension by two-thirds.

The WEP currently affects approximately 2 million Social Security recipients and the GPO affects nearly 800,000 retirees.