Official announcements from the White House and Congress

Biden Signs Social Security Fairness Act, First Benefit Expansion in 20 Years, Aiding 3 Million

Jan 5, 2025, 09:27 PM

President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law on Sunday, January 5, 2025, enhancing Social Security payments for nearly 3 million current and former public employees, including teachers, firefighters, and police officers. The bipartisan legislation repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which had previously reduced Social Security benefits for individuals receiving pensions from public sector jobs. "I’m proud to be the first president in more than 20 years to expand Social Security benefits," Biden said. "Workers who dedicated their lives to their communities deserve to retire with dignity and security." The signing ceremony at the White House was Biden's first public bill signing in over two years and is expected to be one of the last major legislative acts of his presidency. Members of Congress from both parties, including Sen. Bill Cassidy and Rep. Richard Neal, attended the event. The new law ensures that public servants receive the full retirement benefits they have earned.