Senate Faces Deadline on Social Security Fairness Act for Public Workers

The bill aims to eliminate penalties affecting millions of public sector retirees, but Senate action is required before year-end.

The Social Security Fairness Act, passed by the House, seeks to repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) that reduce benefits for public sector retirees.
The bill has bipartisan support with 62 Senate sponsors, exceeding the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.
If passed, the act would benefit nearly three million retirees, including teachers, firefighters, and police officers, by restoring full Social Security benefits.
Critics argue the repeal could cost $196 billion over a decade and accelerate Social Security's insolvency by six months.
The Senate has until December 31 to vote on the bill, or it will need to be reintroduced in the next legislative session.