Senate approves bill to expand Social Security to millions of Americans
Earlier on Saturday, the U.S. Senate passed legislation to expand Social Security benefits to millions of Americans and is now headed to President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign the measure into law.
Senators voted 76 to 20 Social Security Equity Actthis will Eliminate two federal policies That leaves nearly 3 million people, including police officers, firefighters, postal workers, teachers and others on public pensions, without receiving full Social Security benefits. The legislation has been decades in the making, with the Senate holding its first hearing on the policy in 2003.
“The Senate has finally righted 50 years of wrongs,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., declared after senators approved the bill at 12:15 p.m. Saturday.
Shannon Benton, executive director of the Alliance for Seniors, said the bill’s passage is “a huge victory for the millions of public service workers who have been denied the full benefits they deserve.” Expand social security benefits. “This legislation finally restores fairness to the system and ensures teachers, first responders and countless public employees are truly recognized for their hard work.”
Voting is drawing to a close and the Senate is about to end its current session. Late Friday night, senators rejected four amendments and a budget procedure issue that could have derailed the measure given the short window of time to pass the bill.
Ohio Vice President-elect J.D. Vance was one of 24 Republican senators who joined 49 Democratic senators in advancing the measure in a preliminary procedural vote on Wednesday.
“Social Security is the cornerstone of our middle class. You paid into Social Security for 40 quarters, you deserve it, and it should be there when you retire,” said the Ohio senator who lost his seat in the November election Sherrod Brown told the media. chamber before Wednesday’s vote. “All these workers are asking for is the money they earn.”
What is the Social Security Equity Act?
The Social Security Equity Act would repeal two federal policies—the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO)—that have reduced Social Security payments for nearly 3 million retirees.
That includes people who also receive pensions from state and federal jobs not covered by Social Security, including teachers, police officers and U.S. postal workers. The bill would also end a second provision that reduces Social Security benefits for surviving spouses and family members of these workers. WEP affects approx. 2 million Social Security Beneficiaries and GPOs Almost 800,000 Retirees.
The measure passed the House in November and had 62 co-sponsors when it was introduced in the Senate last year. However, bipartisan support for the bill has waned in recent days, with some Republican lawmakers expressing doubts about its cost. according to arrive According to the Congressional Budget Office, the proposed legislation is expected to increase the federal deficit by $195 billion over ten years.
Without Senate approval, the bill’s fate would be over this session of Congress and would need to be reintroduced in the next Congress.
