Social Security is the foundation for retirement for millions of Americans. Two provisions to Social Security, the Government Pension Offset (GPO), enacted in 1977, and the Windfall Elimination Provision, passed in 1983, penalize recipients of public pensions.

The GPO prohibits some government retirees from collecting their spousal Social Security benefits and pension plans.

In September, legislation finally gained traction to pass a discharge petition with a majority.

The legislation is now in a holding period as the House will not return to session until November 12.

At that time, passing HR82, Social Security Fairness Act, could be complicated by Congress serving in a lame-duck session and a highly contested presidential election having just ended.

The GPO and WEP were created to prevent highly paid government employees from earning exorbitant amounts of money in retirement, but in doing so, they have severely penalized public servants who struggle to make enough money to survive.

The ironic part of the current legislation is that if public servants had never worked a day in their lives, they would be able to receive the death benefits of their spouse’s Social Security.

This legislation must pass as the United States lags behind most of the industrialized world in how it values teachers.

It is time to correct the past’s shortsighted mistakes and give teachers and public servants the money that is rightfully theirs.

—The Norseman Staff