WEP Reform Push Continues as Primary Elections Loom Large

The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) is an unfair Social Security provision that negatively impacts thousands of retired educators nationwide, including educators who have paid into the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) as well as Social Security.

The Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) is involved in a national coalition, Public Retirees Alliance, which is dedicated to reforming the WEP. TRTA’s Executive Director Tim Lee is visiting Washington D.C. on Monday, March 2 to help advance WEP legislation. However, traction in Congress has slowed this year due to the upcoming elections.

While progress has slowed in Washington, congressional members are busy in their districts seeking voter approval.

It’s critical for our TRTA members to be active and involved during the primary election process. If there’s a candidate forum for a congressional member in your area, we encourage you to attend and ask the candidates about their stance on WEP reform. This year, there’s one Texas Senator up for re-election, John Cornyn, and all of the Texas Representatives are up for re-election. If constituents make WEP reform a priority, so will friendly candidates and future elected leaders. Be sure to vote early today or tomorrow, or on Primary Election Day, March 3.

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, Michael Cloud and Sheila Jackson Lee are also not signed on to either bill!