Tim Lee Interviews Rep. Kevin Brady About WEP Reform Via Facebook Live

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.

The Texas Retired Teachers Association’s (TRTA) Executive Director Tim Lee spoke with Rep. Kevin Brady (R – The Woodlands) on Facebook Live today about paths to reform the WEP. Brady’s bill, H.R. 3934, proposes to give retirees back more of their hard-earned Social Security earnings.

The full video is available here.

The WEP is particularly harmful to many retired Texas educators. 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.

Lee and Brady discussed how Brady has worked to develop H.R. 3934 based on feedback from many public worker groups, and it’s designed to help the most possible active educators and retired educators.

“Social Security is too complicated,” Brady said. “That’s why it causes so many unintended consequences.” He said the WEP “has punished the people we ought to be rewarding.”

Brady’s goal is to advance WEP reform this year. He said the WEP has a huge impact on about 12 states. “We’ve really got to build full support within our states.”

One of the more contentious points that retiree groups have disagree upon when discussing WEP reform has centered around the idea of full repeal. Some groups feel that WEP reform should only occur if it’s a full repeal of the provision. However, Brady dissuaded that notion by stating that in the 37 years WEP has been in place, no piece of legislation concerning full repeal has gained traction. “The other states where this isn’t a big issue, they’re never going to adopt this approach.”

Brady said that his approach has been to develop legislation that all parties can get behind and will gain the forward momentum necessary to be signed into law.

Brady believes that all of the pieces are in place to move WEP reform forward. “I’m absolutely convinced we can get this done… I know it’s a little easy to look back and get discouraged or disheartened by this, but if it’s worth doing, it’s worth just staying at it until we get it done.”

TRTA has formed a national coalition with the Mass Retirees dedicated to reforming the WEP. Learn more about our national coalition here.

Show your support for WEP reform by contacting them and asking them to sign on to either Rep. Richie Neal’s bill, H.R. 4540, or Brady’s bill, H.R. 3934.

It’s critical to get as many congressional Representatives signed on to these bills as possible. 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!

Below you’d find the full list of Texas Representatives and the bills they’ve cosponsored.