WashingtonWatch.com - H.R. 235, The Social Security Fairness Act of 2009

Comment by Poor Steve (November 18, 2009, 01:00:00)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

You will get exactly what you deserve and not one cent more. You are the one who is misinformed about how the WEP works and why. Maybe you should do some reading before you start whining....

Comment by Steve Barnes (November 16, 2009, 01:00:00)

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

As I read these inputs I see that many are misinformed as to what has taken place. If you work for a government or privet sector job and do not pay into SS, then you have no right to draw any SS. But what about the people who not only worked one job but worked two or more jobs in their life and paid into SS. I worked for a local goverment job for 30 years and paid into my own retirement plan and not SS because we had a choice to eithr pay SS or not. My work hours were 24hrs on duty and 48hrs off duty.This gave me time to work full time on another job. I worked another job for 25 years and paid into SS on this job. I was told that if I paid into SS and had 40 quartys paid in that I could draw my SS that I paid. Now I'm being told that because I didn't pay into SS on my other job that I can't draw but 1/3 of whats due to me. I don't want anything that I don't deserve, but if I paid for it then I think I should get it!! I can't help I wasn't lazey and worked two jobs.!!??...

Comment by Frank Randazzo (November 1, 2009, 01:00:00)

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Restore our rights as retired Federal Employs to our Social Security Benefits paid into this program. As it is we can only receive 40% of 100%. Mar. Ronald Reagan is the jerk who took away our rights in The Social Security Act of 1983. How many retirement benefits did he receive when he retired? This is unfair to the little guy....

Comment by baddaddy (October 29, 2009, 01:00:00)

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

I just attempted a search for H.R. 235 on the Library of congress Thomas website and did not find it. Every time that I have tried previously, I was able to find it. I know this attempt in the past, it aways have died in a committee or sub-committee. I had hopes that Dempcrats would do something this time. Expecially since the bill had so many co-sponcers. My congress people just tell me it's in commettee. Little hope. It's time to contact our president....

Comment by Mark (October 24, 2009, 01:00:00)

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

www.ssfairness.com is the ONLY grassroots organization working FOR all public service employees in the 15 affected states. We are building coalitions with disparate organizations across the country to "educate and unite" public service employees about WEP/GPO! Go to www.ssfairness.com then send the address to all public service employees you know. If YOU are affected you must act!...

Comment by County Worker (October 18, 2009, 01:00:00)

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

I paied in to SS and should recieve my fair share, and I should recieve all of my share and not have it go to someone who never work and is sucking the system dry. I support HR 235...

Comment by !!! (October 16, 2009, 01:00:00)

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Here's a headline for you. A bill just like this one has been introduced each session of congress for several sessions now. And it never gets out of committee. That should tell you what the legislators think about the whole thing. You are micturating into the wind if you think this is ever going anywhere....

Comment by wilemut (October 8, 2009, 01:00:00)

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

It sounds like 235 is making headway. This was posted on September 9 on CRTA Fresno website: http://www.crtafresno.com/?p=75 HR2145 is another that seems to be stuck in Ways & Means. I also had the misfortune of working for a community college in CA that didn't take out FICA and now I'm paying for it. Before 1983 it didn't matter. Now these scumbags are trying to recoup what they lost with all the double- and triple- dippers. That's not my fault. As I mentioned on the other comments site for 2145, write and call your congress people. All our griping and grousing here will not do any good! I wrote Kurt Schrader and finally got an answer from his aide. He didn't tell me a thing that I didn't already know, but who knows? He did say to contact the person who introduced the bill and urge them to move it forward. Each congress has over 6,000 bills out there, so we need to get heard. Just do it!...

Comment by ... (September 10, 2009, 01:00:00)

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Tut tut, there. Now you are simply falling back on the loser's tactic of namecalling. Perhaps you can be more specific about Brady's shortcomings....

Comment by ... (September 9, 2009, 01:00:00)

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Why, because you don't agree with him? Give me a break....

Comment by PGJ (September 9, 2009, 01:00:00)

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EDT

... Yes because I not only do not agree with him, but also because he is 100% wrong. He is also an idiot just like you!!!!...

Comment by doris (September 8, 2009, 01:00:00)

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EDT

I am awidow as of april I have a federal pension but my problem is I was born in 1924 hense the notch act tthat gives me no ss. Doesn't seem fair to me....

Comment by PGJ (September 8, 2009, 01:00:00)

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EDT

To read more of Congressman Keven Brady's asinine statements go to www.house.gov/.../rsc/.../Brady--GPO%20Loophole%20Factsheet.pdf - Similar. This guy is an idiot and need to be voted out of office....

Comment by PGJ (September 8, 2009, 01:00:00)

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EDT

If unable to view above website, Google House of Representatives and in box Search house.gov type in repeal gpo. On the next screen (PDF) Quick Reference Guide click on view....

Comment by ... (September 1, 2009, 01:00:00)

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Yay Richard, looks like your outrage got something done. NOT!...

Comment by jk (August 31, 2009, 01:00:00)

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EDT

If you have not read the article in AARP this month, go to www.aarpmagazine.org and read under personal finance ( money) "Boost Your Income!" A line from the article "Every year, retirees pass up a whopping $10.1 BILLION in Social Security benefits. See how some are getting more than their fair share while we get a penalty. If you have not already called your reps in Washinton this should inspire many calls....

Comment by ~ Richard ~ (August 31, 2009, 01:00:00)

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EDT

I am disgusted that, until now, AARP has chosen to not take a stand on these issues. So, I sent a Fax to the new CEO. You can read by going back to my post dated: May 18, 2009, 1:17pm...

Comment by ddc (August 27, 2009, 01:00:00)

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Let me put it this way. I stayed home and took care of a family for ten years while my husband paid into Railroad Retirement (SS), "our" pension plan. I then went to work for the USPS (CSRS). If I had worked those ten years...let me rephrase that...if I had worked "outside the home" I would now be retired at 80% of my base instead of 60%. So being a stay at home mom/homemaker is costing me approximately $10,000 per year. Is that fair? I'm being severely penalized for taking care of my family. My husband died before retiring, our kids are all grown so he contributed for 34 years and nobody he knows is able to benefit. Is that fair?...

Comment by Piquonian (August 25, 2009, 01:00:00)

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EDT

I worked very hard for many many years and paid into SS. Now I work for the State and they want to penalize me when I retire by taking away part of my SS benefits!! Stop this now!!...

Comment by ... (August 25, 2009, 01:00:00)

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Easy answer - Don't retire....

Comment by PTS (August 25, 2009, 01:00:00)

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EDT

For comprehensive information on WEP and GPO and to see what you can do view www.socialsecurityfairness.com...

Comment by PTS (August 25, 2009, 01:00:00)

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Retirement is a 3 legged stool. You need your pension, social security and your personal investments. Wall Street has ransacked our investment portfolio and social security is denied if we worked in public service as well as private. Let's be fair with those who have worked two or more jobs to earn their social security retirement benefits!...

Comment by ... (August 25, 2009, 01:00:00)

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EDT

PTS, Just how do you come to the conclusion that social security is denied for those who work in public service? There MAY be an offset, depending on how many years the individual worked in the private sector. The WEP is being fair. If you really understood the problem then perhaps you wouldn't make such silly statements....

Comment by JD (August 24, 2009, 01:00:00)

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EDT

For those of you concerned with the GPO you should ask your congressfolk to seperate this legislation into two parts. The WEP is unlikely to ever be repealed and it is holding back any possibility of GPO repeal....

Revision by KenElstein (August 23, 2009, 01:00:00)

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EDT

H.R. 235 would amend title II of the Social Security Act to repeal the Government pension offset and windfall elimination provisions.

Detailed Summary

Social Security Fairness Act of 2009 - Amends title II (Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance) (OASDI) of the Social Security Act to repeal: (1) government pension offset requirements applicable to husband's and wife's insurance benefits, widow's and widower's insurance benefits, and mother's and father's insurance benefits with respect to OASDI payments; and (2) windfall elimination requirements with respect to computation of an individual's primary insurance amount.

Status of the Legislation

Latest Major Action: 1/7/2009: Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Points in Favor

Current GPO and WEP rules take away Social Security rights that people earned because someone in their family served in public service jobs outside of the system. For example, a wife who never worked would get 50% of her husband's retirement benefits. However, if she worked as a librarian in many states, she would get none of these benefits. In another case, a coal miner turned fire fighter might be denied most of his own Social Security retirement benefits earned in the mines, because his later employer chose not to participate in Social Security.

Overall, it discourages people from taking a career in public service, or tracks them between covered and non-covered employers. Former teachers in one school district cannot afford to serve in another district, making it harder to fill needed positions everywhere.

Points Against

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