Official congressional records and announcements

Biden Signs Social Security Fairness Act, Boosting Benefits for Nearly 3 Million Public Employees Including Teachers, Firefighters, Police

Jan 6, 2025, 02:24 AM

President Joe Biden has signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law, which will increase Social Security payments for nearly 3 million current and former public employees. The legislation affects individuals who receive pensions from their time as teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public service roles. The Act repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), two provisions that previously reduced Social Security benefits for those receiving pensions from other sources. This change is expected to boost monthly payments by an average of $360 for those affected by the WEP and by $700 for 380,000 recipients and $1,190 for 390,000 surviving spouses affected by the GPO by December 2025. The new law applies to payments from January 2024 onward, and the Social Security Administration will owe back-dated payments. The signing ceremony at the White House was attended by labor leaders, retirement advocates, and bipartisan lawmakers, including the bill's primary sponsors, Senators Susan Collins and Sherrod Brown.