The Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) laws are repealed! I just left the White House, where I had the honor of witnessing President Biden sign HR82 into law.
Being able to represent Mass Retirees members and our Association at this historic event truly meant the world to me. As you know, our Association fought to have WEP/GPO repealed since the laws were first created in 1983. And after 30 years of being personally involved in the fight, being here today was incredibly special for me.
The repeal of WEP/GPO is special for all of us at Mass Retirees, because we know just how important this day is to our members. The countless calls and messages we’ve received from all of you over the past few weeks has been incredibly humbling – to say the least.
Our founder and former President Ralph White prioritized the fight to repeal WEP/GPO long before most people had ever heard of the two laws. The very first article written about WEP/GPO and criticizing their creation was written by our General Counsel Bill Rehrey, shortly after the law’s passage in 1983. This fight was picked up by President Frank Valeri when he took office in 2013. Together, Frank and I have taken countless trips to Washington, DC over the past 12-years, engaging directly with federal officials to advocate for change and relief for our members.
While we never gave up the fight for what is right, the fact that these laws are no more does come as a bit of a surprise after 30-years of experiencing one step forward and two steps back time and time again. Honestly, until the evening of December 20th – the final day of the formal Congressional session – we were not certain that HR82 would pass. However, within hours of the bill being approved by the US Senate we received word from the White House that President Biden planned to sign the bill into law.
Years of relentless advocacy, by our Association and others across the country, led to this moment. I want to give a special thanks to my friend Tim Lee, leader of the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) for joining us in this effort for what must be close to 20 years. Tim and I were able to attend today’s bill signing together and share in this important moment for our collective members. For the better part of the 10-years between 2010-2020, it seemed that the TRTA and Mass Retirees (with a handful of other state groups representing active public employees and retirees) where largely alone in keeping the fight to end WEP/GPO alive.
The stars aligned in 2024, and lighting struck when a bipartisan pair of Congressmen – Garrett Graves (R-LA) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) – used a discharge petition to force HR82 to the House floor for a vote. On Tuesday, November 12, HR82 passed the House by a vote of 327-75. With momentum now on our side, the bill was sent to the Senate where it passed at 12:30 AM on Saturday, December 21st, by a vote of 76-20.
In the coming weeks we will publish additional information for Mass Retirees Association members on what you can expect next, as well as a chronology of the four-decade fight to repeal WEP/GPO. We believe it is important to create a historical record of this journey, including our view on how HR82 came to pass both branches of Congress and signed into law. As they say, the stars aligned, and lighting finally struck!
In addition to the national organizations such as the IAFF (led by our close friend Ed Kelly), FOP, NAPO, and the AFT, amongst others – all of whom played a major role in forcing the US Senate to Act – we want to thank those individual retirees who personally helped to make a dream come true. Without your support and perseverance, repeal of WEP/GPO would not have happened. We also must say a special word of thanks to the Massachusetts Congressional delegation – both past and present – for their support of public retirees and for never stopping to fight for what is right. The success we witnessed today is largely due to their excellent work over many years.
Finally, a special thank you to our Federal Liaison and Association member Tom Lussier. For more than 20-years Tom has helped guide and advise our federal advocacy. He has been a true partner and friend, without whom today’s storybook ending may not have happened.
Now that HR82 is law, we anticipate that the Social Security Administration will issue a directive on the implementation timeline and next steps in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, we ask for your patience until further information is available.
As we have said in recent emails, the repeal of WEP/GPO means that current retirees who have had their Social Security benefit reduced or eliminated by these laws will now have that benefit restored to the correct amount. Our read of the text of HR82 leads us to believe that implementation will be retroactive to January 1, 2024. If true, then impacted retirees will receive a retroactive payment to 1/1/2024.
Again, we do not have any information on implementation plans or further details. As soon as Social Security releases a directive, we will let our members know.
Thank you for being a member of Mass Retirees. The fact that WEP/GPO have been repealed is a true testament to strength in numbers. This shows what is possible when we work together. If you have received this email, are a retired Massachusetts public employee, but are not a member of Mass Retirees – please join us today!
With great appreciation,
Shawn
Shawn Duhamel
Chief Executive Officer
Mass Retirees Association
