Tim Lee Hosts Facebook Live Deep Dive on WEP Reform

The Texas Retired Teachers Association’s (TRTA) Executive Director Tim Lee hosted a Facebook Live event where he explained the history, present and possible future repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP).

Watch the full presentation here! You don’t need to have a Facebook profile to watch the video. In his presentation, Lee also referenced a slideshow, which is available here. The Social Security Administration has two articles on the WEP which are available here and here.

The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) is an unfair federal provision preventing retirees from receiving the Social Security benefits they are owed. The WEP, which took effect in 1983, provides a means of eliminating the “windfall” of Social Security benefits received by beneficiaries who also receive a pension based on work not covered by Social Security.

Ninety-five percent of Texas public school employees do not pay into Social Security through their work with Texas schools. However, many have other jobs before, during, or after their employment in education in which they do pay into the federal program.

TRTA has joined our friends in Massachusetts, who are also affected by the WEP, in creating the Public Retirees Alliance.

In his presentation, Lee said that there’s no reason for the WEP to still exist in its current form, and people should be “incensed” that Congress hasn’t moved forward with a solution. Congress has all the information it needs to improve retirees’ lives, but a bill hasn’t moved forward because the WEP isn’t a high enough priority.

There are currently two WEP reform bills on the table, H.R. 4540, by the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Richie Neal, and H.R. 3934 by Texas Rep. Kevin Brady.

Both bills are similar and would be an improvement for the lives of retirees impacted by the WEP. TRTA is pushing for the best possible outcome for retirees.

Please contact your congressional representative and ask them to support both H.R. 4540 and H.R. 3934. You can find your representative’s contact information here.

Currently, there’s only one congressional member on the House Ways and Means Committee that has not signed on to either bill, Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett. If you want WEP reform to move forward, please contact Rep. Doggett and ask him to take action on this very important issue!

True WEP reform will start in the House Ways and Means Committee, but it will take all Texas Congressional members to resolve the WEP issue. Texas Congressional members must play their part to resolve the WEP. We need Congressional members to support one or both of these bills. Let’s get 100 percent Texas Congressional support on these bills. Currently, Reps. Mac Thornberry and Michael Cloud are also not signed on to either bill!