One year ago today, the U.S. Congress voted 327\u201375 to pass H.R. 82, repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO)\u2014two long-standing Social Security provisions that unfairly reduced benefits for retired educators and public servants across the nation.<\/p>\n
Nowhere was this victory felt more deeply than in Texas, where thousands of retired teachers, school employees, and other dedicated public workers were impacted by these provisions. For decades, WEP and GPO penalized those who spent their lives serving their communities, cutting into the Social Security benefits they rightfully earned.<\/p>\n
Since the repeal, Social Security has paid out more than $1.9 billion in retroactive payments to Texans who had their benefits reduced under WEP and GPO. These payments represent more than just dollars\u2014they restore fairness, dignity, and long-overdue recognition for the service and sacrifice of Texas\u2019s public servants.<\/p>\n