Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Advancing The Social Security Fairness Act

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor to urge the chamber to pass the Social Security Fairness Act, ensuring retirees and their spouses are not unfairly penalized for public service work. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks:

In just a few moments, the Senate will hold a vote to take up the Social Security Fairness Act, a bill that ensures no retiree or spouse is wrongly denied their well-earned benefits, simply because they chose at some point in their careers to work in public service.

Time is short, but I am hopeful the Senate can take up and pass this bill and send it to the President’s desk very quickly.

Passing this Social Security fix right before Christmas would be a great gift for our retired firefighters, police officers, postal workers, teachers, and others who for years contributed to Social Security, but are now being penalized because of their time of public service. That’s unfair. It’s deeply unfair. It goes against the American ideal of working hard, chipping in, and enjoying a well-earned retirement.

Our bill would finally repeal the outdated and unfair WEP and GPO programs, which have both wreaked havoc on the hard-earned benefits of our public service retirees and their spouses. It’s been going on too long. People have been working for decades to pass legislation to fix this issue we now have that opportunity.

The House has already passed this bill by an overwhelming margin, Democrats and Republicans, 327-75.

We Democrats are ready to stand with our public service retirees and finally fix this problem. The American people will see today which Senators are ready to deliver on these Social Security benefits, and who will block this golden opportunity that could help millions and millions of Americans.

I thank Senator Brown and others for their hard work.