The Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) is advocating on behalf of retired educators to reform the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). Tomorrow at 1 p.m. Central, there will be a meeting of the U.S. Ways and Means Committee, which manages Social Security issues. The meeting will be available to watch here.
TRTA’s legislative committee member for District 4, Mary Widmier, will be testifying to the Ways and Means Committee. She will be sharing her story about being negatively impacted by the WEP. She worked for 36 years as an educator in Texas and 21 years in the private sector.
The 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 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.
TRTA has partnered with the Mass Retirees to form the Public Retirees Alliance. The goal of the Public Retirees Alliance is the reform the WEP, and the help get retirees back the money that they earned during their careers.
TRTA is working closely with Rep. Kevin Brady (R – TX) on reforming the WEP. Brady serves as the co-chair for the Ways and Means committee, and his support is significant towards making progress on this issue.
Rep. Richard Neal (D – MA) serves as the chair of the Ways and Means committee. His bill, H.R. 2337, proposes to provide relief to current and future retirees.
Be sure to tune in tomorrow at 1 p.m. Central to watch Widmier’s testimony to the Ways and Means Committee.
Thank You
The TRTA membership drive is underway for the coming 2021-22 membership year. No other group focuses solely on your TRS retirement security! Please join us today!
Thank you for being a member of TRTA and supporting issues that affect retired Texas public school personnel. Be sure to download the TRTA app to receive all of the latest updates and communicate with your fellow retirees.
