Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) Executive Director Tim Lee is in Washington, D.C. this week fighting for the passage of HR 82, which would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).
The WEP is a law that prevents retired Texas educators that participate in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) from drawing their entire Social Security benefit. The GPO is like the WEP, but instead of reducing the worker’s benefits, the GPO reduces the benefits for a spouse or former spouse who claims spousal benefits based on a spouse’s or former spouse’s earnings record.
On November 5, a political maneuver was made that may derail HR 82. HR 82 has gained significant traction in the U.S. House of Representatives, and among its 330 cosponsors is Mike Johnson (R-LA), who serves as the Speaker of the House. However, despite the bill’s popularity, there are groups that would prefer to keep the arbitrary, harmful WEP and GPO in place.
TRTA has been fighting for repeal of these provisions since the 1980s and isn’t surprised to see opposition to change. The maneuver was done on a day when no one was watching, and the intent seems to be to slow down—if not kill—the progress of repealing the WEP and GPO.
It appeared that the biggest hurdle towards meaningful change and relief for retirees may be in the U.S. Senate. As progress to move WEP and GPO repeal or reform gained momentum, more and more groups wanting to stop it have surfaced. TRTA anticipated these tactics, and it will take the aid of all education retirees in Texas, as well as our national coalition, to encourage Senate and House members to make the sensible decision and fix WEP and GPO.
Tim Lee is in Washington D.C. right now working to advance retirees’ interests! It will not be easy to pass HR 82 even though there is a significant stated support by congressional members. A major hurdle is the cost to fix the unfair WEP and GPO. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that implementing HR 82 would cost the federal government $196 billion over the next decade and would advance the depletion date of Social Security by six months.
TRTA will be calling on its members soon to contact congressional members about this issue! The WEP and GPO have unfairly damaged retirees’ lives for too long, and by banding together, we will continue to put pressure on decision makers to finally pass a solution to this unfair issue.
¡Gracias!
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