The legislation will directly benefit 45,154 Missourians, including current and retired educators
JEFFERSON CITY, MO — The Missouri National Education Association applauds Congress' historic vote to fully repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), unfair Social Security penalties that have disadvantaged Missouri's educators and public servants for decades.
“This victory will directly benefit 45,154 Missourians, including current and retired educators who have had their earned Social Security benefits unfairly reduced or eliminated," said Phil Murray, MNEA President. "For too long, these penalties have discouraged talented individuals from entering the teaching profession, particularly career-changers who would lose Social Security benefits they had already earned in previous careers."
The repeal of GPO/WEP means educators will no longer have to choose between their passion for teaching and their retirement security. Previously, the GPO could reduce or eliminate spousal and survivor Social Security benefits, while the WEP penalized educators who had earned Social Security benefits from other jobs.
Murray, who has personally advocated for this change in Washington D.C., emphasized the critical role of sustained advocacy by the National Education Association and allied groups in achieving this victory "I've walked the halls of Congress multiple times, sharing stories of Missouri educators who have lost thousands in earned benefits. Today's vote reflects years of persistent effort by educators across the country who refused to give up on this issue. This change will help us attract and retain quality educators while ensuring they can retire with dignity after a lifetime of service."
The ‘Social Security Fairness Act’ (H.R. 82) passed with strong bipartisan support, reflecting the broad recognition that these penalties were fundamentally unfair to public workers. Missouri Representatives Graves, Cleaver, Luetkemeyer, Alford, and Bush co-sponsored the legislation, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives 327-75 in November. For more information about how the GPO/WEP repeal will affect Missouri educators, visit nea.org and mnea.org.
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The more than 30,000-member MNEA represents teachers, education support professionals, college faculty, retired teachers, and students studying to be teachers in school districts and college campuses throughout the state. It is the Missouri affiliate of the three million-member National Education Association.
Contact Information:
Missouri National Education Association
Mark Jones, Communications Director
mark.jones@mnea.org
573-644-9609
