LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Another Look at WEP & GPO
You may have recently received an email from IRTA saying:
“Great news, we have passed one hurdle. H.R. 82, which would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)
and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), has MORE THAN 290 cosponsors! The rules mandate a floor vote
on any bill that receives 290 co-sponsors. We ask you to please submit the generic message requesting your
Congressman to urge Speaker Pelosi to bring the bill H.R. 82 up for a vote. You will also have the option to
include a personal message about how the WEP/GPO has affected you.”
It seems like we regularly revisit the topic of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government
Pension Offset (GPO). Most of us went into teaching knowing that when we retired we would have a pension
plan rather than drawing social security, but very few of us realized that the social security benefits we might
earn at jobs outside of teaching would be reduced. Or even worse, our spouses could pay into social security
for years, and we would not be entitled to the same spousal/survivor benefits as spouses who are not
teachers. The last time we got close to repealing the WEP and GPO was in 2019.
The following was from the SCRTA April 2019 newsletter:
---From a recent WAND story: “Illinois teachers are often in for a rude surprise when they attempt to collect
social security benefits of a deceased spouse. Illinois is only one of fifteen states punished by a pair of
loopholes in social security, the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset. In simple
terms the provisions eliminate most, if not all, social security benefits if you are in a state-of-Illinois pension
plan. It can impact teachers, police, firefighters and other public sector employees. It not only reduces benefits
for surviving spouses. It also reduces social security benefits for those who may have worked in the private
sector before becoming a teacher or those who paid into social security during part-time or summer jobs.”
Now in 2021, as in 2019, Rodney Davis (R-IL) has introduced a bill to fully repeal the WEP and GPO (H.R. 82 The
Social Security Fairness Act). However, this time it will come to a floor vote due to the number of co-
sponsors. A press statement from Davis’ office describes the two provisions this way:
“WEP reduces the earned Social Security benefits of an individual who also receives a public pension from a
job not covered by Social Security. For example, educators who do not earn Social Security in the public
schools but who work part-time or during the summer in jobs covered by Social Security have reduced
benefits even though they pay into the system just like others. WEP also affects people who move from a job
in which they earn Social Security to a job, such as teaching, in which they do not.”
“GPO affects the spousal benefits of people who work as federal, state, or local government employees –
including educators, police officers, and firefighters – if the job is not covered by Social Security. GPO reduces
by two-thirds the benefit received by surviving spouses who also collect a government pension. Nine out of 10
public employees affected by GPO lose their entire spousal benefit, even though their spouse paid Social
Security taxes for many years.”
Some Facts:
** The WEP affects 1.9 million people and the GPO affects nearly 700,000 people (National Education
Association, January 2022)
** 83% of those penalized by the GPO are women, many losing their entire spousal benefits
** GPO reduces an average of $9500/year for women (Congressional Research Service, March 2022)
** The $8-10 billion annual cost to repeal the GPO/WEP amounts to less than 2 % of the overall benefits paid
to recipients each year (Estimated Trust Fund Information at www.ssa.gov)
We can give you more information on the WEP and GPO, as well as try to answer your
questions, at our September 7th SCRTA meeting. In the meantime, there are several things
you can do.
Educate yourself on the topic. If you need more information, here are some links that may help:
SSA Factsheets https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10007.pdf
https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/gpo-wep.html
https://ssfairness.org/ (a private organization whose goal is to repeal the GPO and WEP)
https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/action-center/take-action/repeal-gpo-wep
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/82
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1302
Contact your representatives in Congress to let them know you support The Social Security Fairness
Act (H.R.82 & S.1302). H.R.82 must remain on the House calendar for 25 legislative days. Since the House is
not in session during August, the vote should come sometime in September. S.1302 is still in the Senate
Committee on Finance. Your legislators have done their part to force this to a floor vote in the House; you
need to do your part to let them see the large number of people who support this. (By the way, unlike much
of the legislation these days, this has bi-partisan support. It was introduced by a Republican and a Democrat
in the Senate as well as the House.)
15th US Representative District – Mary Miller
WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE (When house is in session)
1529 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone 201-225-5271
EFFINGHAM OFFICE
101 N. 4 th St., Suite 303
Effingham, IL
217-347-7947
Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth
WASHINGTON DC OFFICE
524 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington DC, 20510
202-224-2854
SPRINGFIELD OFFICE
8 South Old State Capitol Plaza
Springfield, IL 62701
217- 528-6124
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin
WASHINGTON OFFICE
711 Hart Senate Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
202-224-2152
SPRINGFIELD OFFICE
525 S. 8th Street
Springfield, IL 62703
217-492-4062
(You can contact legislators directly or through the congress.gov links above, but the easiest way is through
Voter Voice on the IRTA website https://members.irtaonline.org/voter-voice . Once you are registered, you
click on the bill and fill in your name and address. They determine who your legislator is and give you a pre-
written message you can add a personal note to if you like. It only takes a few minutes.)
Contact friends and relatives to do the same. Remember, this not only affects educators but also
many other public servants. Many of these, as well as teachers – both current and retired, have no idea this
vote is going to take place. Actually, many don’t even know there is such a thing as the WEP or GPO. Educate
as many as you can in the next few weeks. Think back on that $9500/year average that women lose (men,
too, lose - $7320/year average). Think about how much nearly $10,000 more/year might mean to someone.
If we sit back and do nothing, we deserve to get nothing. This is one of the few chances we have to change
things for the better for teachers.
Another Look at WEP & GPO
You may have recently received an email from IRTA saying:
“Great news, we have passed one hurdle. H.R. 82, which would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)
and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), has MORE THAN 290 cosponsors! The rules mandate a floor vote
on any bill that receives 290 co-sponsors. We ask you to please submit the generic message requesting your
Congressman to urge Speaker Pelosi to bring the bill H.R. 82 up for a vote. You will also have the option to
include a personal message about how the WEP/GPO has affected you.”
It seems like we regularly revisit the topic of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government
Pension Offset (GPO). Most of us went into teaching knowing that when we retired we would have a pension
plan rather than drawing social security, but very few of us realized that the social security benefits we might
earn at jobs outside of teaching would be reduced. Or even worse, our spouses could pay into social security
for years, and we would not be entitled to the same spousal/survivor benefits as spouses who are not
teachers. The last time we got close to repealing the WEP and GPO was in 2019.
The following was from the SCRTA April 2019 newsletter:
---From a recent WAND story: “Illinois teachers are often in for a rude surprise when they attempt to collect
social security benefits of a deceased spouse. Illinois is only one of fifteen states punished by a pair of
loopholes in social security, the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset. In simple
terms the provisions eliminate most, if not all, social security benefits if you are in a state-of-Illinois pension
plan. It can impact teachers, police, firefighters and other public sector employees. It not only reduces benefits
for surviving spouses. It also reduces social security benefits for those who may have worked in the private
sector before becoming a teacher or those who paid into social security during part-time or summer jobs.”
Now in 2021, as in 2019, Rodney Davis (R-IL) has introduced a bill to fully repeal the WEP and GPO (H.R. 82 The
Social Security Fairness Act). However, this time it will come to a floor vote due to the number of co-
sponsors. A press statement from Davis’ office describes the two provisions this way:
“WEP reduces the earned Social Security benefits of an individual who also receives a public pension from a
job not covered by Social Security. For example, educators who do not earn Social Security in the public
schools but who work part-time or during the summer in jobs covered by Social Security have reduced
benefits even though they pay into the system just like others. WEP also affects people who move from a job
in which they earn Social Security to a job, such as teaching, in which they do not.”
“GPO affects the spousal benefits of people who work as federal, state, or local government employees –
including educators, police officers, and firefighters – if the job is not covered by Social Security. GPO reduces
by two-thirds the benefit received by surviving spouses who also collect a government pension. Nine out of 10
public employees affected by GPO lose their entire spousal benefit, even though their spouse paid Social
Security taxes for many years.”
Some Facts:
** The WEP affects 1.9 million people and the GPO affects nearly 700,000 people (National Education
Association, January 2022)
** 83% of those penalized by the GPO are women, many losing their entire spousal benefits
** GPO reduces an average of $9500/year for women (Congressional Research Service, March 2022)
** The $8-10 billion annual cost to repeal the GPO/WEP amounts to less than 2 % of the overall benefits paid
to recipients each year (Estimated Trust Fund Information at www.ssa.gov)
We can give you more information on the WEP and GPO, as well as try to answer your
questions, at our September 7th SCRTA meeting. In the meantime, there are several things
you can do.
Educate yourself on the topic. If you need more information, here are some links that may help:
SSA Factsheets https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10007.pdf
https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/gpo-wep.html
https://ssfairness.org/ (a private organization whose goal is to repeal the GPO and WEP)
https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/action-center/take-action/repeal-gpo-wep
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/82
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1302
Contact your representatives in Congress to let them know you support The Social Security Fairness
Act (H.R.82 & S.1302). H.R.82 must remain on the House calendar for 25 legislative days. Since the House is
not in session during August, the vote should come sometime in September. S.1302 is still in the Senate
Committee on Finance. Your legislators have done their part to force this to a floor vote in the House; you
need to do your part to let them see the large number of people who support this. (By the way, unlike much
of the legislation these days, this has bi-partisan support. It was introduced by a Republican and a Democrat
in the Senate as well as the House.)
15th US Representative District – Mary Miller
WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE (When house is in session)
1529 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone 201-225-5271
EFFINGHAM OFFICE
101 N. 4 th St., Suite 303
Effingham, IL
217-347-7947
Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth
WASHINGTON DC OFFICE
524 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington DC, 20510
202-224-2854
SPRINGFIELD OFFICE
8 South Old State Capitol Plaza
Springfield, IL 62701
217- 528-6124
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin
WASHINGTON OFFICE
711 Hart Senate Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
202-224-2152
SPRINGFIELD OFFICE
525 S. 8th Street
Springfield, IL 62703
217-492-4062
(You can contact legislators directly or through the congress.gov links above, but the easiest way is through
Voter Voice on the IRTA website https://members.irtaonline.org/voter-voice . Once you are registered, you
click on the bill and fill in your name and address. They determine who your legislator is and give you a pre-
written message you can add a personal note to if you like. It only takes a few minutes.)
Contact friends and relatives to do the same. Remember, this not only affects educators but also
many other public servants. Many of these, as well as teachers – both current and retired, have no idea this
vote is going to take place. Actually, many don’t even know there is such a thing as the WEP or GPO. Educate
as many as you can in the next few weeks. Think back on that $9500/year average that women lose (men,
too, lose - $7320/year average). Think about how much nearly $10,000 more/year might mean to someone.
If we sit back and do nothing, we deserve to get nothing. This is one of the few chances we have to change
things for the better for teachers.
IRTA Votervoice Signup
Let your voice be heard and be informed when you need to act on legislative issues. Votervoice through IRTA will send you alerts and allow you to contact your legislator immediately through Voter Voice. Signing up is east. Just follow these steps.
1. Using the internet, go to IRTA’s website www.irtaonline.org.
2. Login to the “Members Only” section of the website. You will need your user name and password. If you have forgotten your username or password, contact the IRTA office at 1.800.728.4782. If you do not have a username or password, click on “Create a Profile”. Once you have logged into the website, you can access the whole website.
3. Left click on the section “Grass Roots Action Center – VOTERvoice.” This will direct you to the login page for VOTERvoice.
4. A Quick Sign Up is then available and all you need is your email address and your zip code. This information allows VOTERvoice messages to be sent directly to you with a direct link to your legislator.
SIgnup for IRTAPAC
IRTAPAC is a statewide, nonpartisan Political Action Committee (PAC) organized by members of the Illinois Retired Teachers Association to benefit the entire retired educator community through political contributions to state candidates. To make a contribution, fill out the form on the IRTA website or send a check to: IRTAPAC, 828 S. Second St., 4th Floor, Springfield, IL 62704.
IRTAPAC is a statewide, nonpartisan Political Action Committee (PAC) organized by members of the Illinois Retired Teachers Association to benefit the entire retired educator community through political contributions to state candidates. To make a contribution, fill out the form on the IRTA website or send a check to: IRTAPAC, 828 S. Second St., 4th Floor, Springfield, IL 62704.
YOUR LOCAL LEGISLATORS
Many of the issues that we need to address as retired teachers, we need to address to our local legislators. Below is information about how to contact them
Representative Brad Halbrook
You can email through his website www.rephalbrook.com or through one of his offices, but the Shelbyville office is probably the best.
Springfield:
204-N, Stratton Bldg
Springfield, IL
Phone: 217.782.8398
Fax: 217.782.1275
District Office:
203 N. Cedar St
Shelbyville, IL 62565
Phone: 217.774.1306
510 S. Staley, Ste D
Champaign, IL 61822
Phone: 217.607.1853
Senator Chapin Rose
You can email Senator Rose through his website www.senchapinrose.com or one of his offices. The Champaign office is probably the best.
Capitol Office
108E Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217)558-1006
Champaign County Office
510 S. Staley Rd., Suite D
Champaign, IL 61822
(217) 607-1853
Macon County Office
5130 Hickory Point Frontage Road Suite 103
Decatur, IL 62526
217-330-9356
Governor JB Prtizker
Office of the Governor
207 State House
Springfield, IL 62706
Phone: 217-782-6830 or 217-782-6831
www2.illinois.gov/sites/gov/contactus