HR 711, known as the the Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act, now has 100 cosponsors, with 27 cosponsors from Texas, according to the Texas Retired Teachers Association. The bill is authored by Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Conroe).
Here is important background information on Social Security and community colleges. The link also includes contact details for U.S. lawmakers.
The measure would essentially replace the Windfall Elimination Provision of the Social Security law, which presently reduces benefits for public employees who retire from schools that do not participate in the Social Security System, but would otherwise qualify based on previous or supplemental employment with participation in the system.
The WEP, which took effect in 1983, provides a means of eliminating the “windfall” of Social Security benefits received by beneficiaries who also receive a pension based on work not covered by Social Security.
On average, the WEP reduces monthly incomes of former public employees by $400. HR 711 proposes to reduce the WEP’s impact on current retirees by 33 percent or more. Future retirees will see the WEP’s impact reduced as much as 50 percent, according to TRTA.
HR 711, if passed, would guarantee public servants receive the benefits they earned while they paid into Social Security. HR 711 would also increase lifetime Social Security benefits by $20,000 to $32,400.
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