Britt and Tuberville fail to block the Social Security Fairness Act

On Saturday, the U.S. Senate voted 76-20 to pass the Social Security Fairness Act, legislation sponsored by the U.S. Senator. SusanCollins, R-ME, which said it would tackle “terrible inequality” in the distribution of social funds. Last month, the bill passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 327-75.

The bill specifically seeks to repeal two laws – the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) – that reduce payouts to people receiving government pensions not covered by Social Security. These individuals include state and local police officers, firefighters, teachers, bus drivers and other public employees and their spouses.

However, Senators Katie Britt, R-AL, and Tommy Tuberville, R-AL, were among the minority that voted against passage of the bill.

“WEP and GPO are flawed, but the Social Security Fairness Act is anything but fair, nor is it accurate or fiscally responsible,” Britt said in an official statement.

“I voted against this approximately $200 billion bill because it would hasten the bankruptcy of the Social Security Trust Fund and provide Social Security benefits that recipients would not have paid for. “I was disappointed that Senator Cruz’s amendment failed, which would have helped regulate WEP more fairly,” she continued. “It is critical that we fulfill our obligations to the hardworking families and retirees who have paid into Social Security for generations.”

Britt’s comments are consistent with Congressional Budget Office projections that the law will increase the federal deficit by $196 billion over the next decade and accelerate Social Security’s projected insolvency by six months.

Interestingly, President-elect Donald Trump recently made comments suggesting that he would support eliminating the federal debt ceiling – a policy move that directly contradicts the so-called “fiscal responsibility” that Britt and Tuberville – both staunch Trump allies – advocate claim support.

Before passing the Social Security Fairness Act, Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY proposed an amendment that would offset the additional costs of the legislation by gradually raising the retirement age from 67 to 70 over 12 years. This amendment was defeated by all but three senators, with both Britt and Tuberville voting against Paul’s proposal.

Britt and Tuberville, though did vote for a separate amendment from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, that would have increased monthly payments for WEP sufferers by $100 to $150 per month. Cruz’s amendment also would have calculated future retirees’ earnings based on their individual earnings throughout their careers, with a proportional benefit based on what they paid into Social Security. Cruz’s amendment also did not pass.

Unlike Britt and Tuberville, other Republicans like Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-LA supported the legislation. In explaining his decision to support the bill, Cassidy cited his former high school civics teacher, Ms. Betty, whose Social Security benefits were sharply reduced due to the federal pension adjustment when she became widowed.

“When her husband died, her husband was working at an Exxon refinery…her Social Security was cut to a fraction because she had worked in the public sector as a teacher,” Cassidy explained that his former teacher would have earned better retirement benefits “if she never did would have worked.”

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-OH, the bill’s Democratic sponsor, provided another anecdote about a bus driver for disabled children in Lawrence County, Ohio. Despite providing an important public service for 40 years, under current law her Social Security benefits would be reduced from $2,100 per month to $500 per month.

Edward Kelly, general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, hailed the law’s passage as a victory for officials.

“Congress broke a promise to millions of Americans 40 years ago when it enacted the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset,” Kelly said. “Today, U.S. Senators from both parties joined together to right this wrong and ensure that retired firefighters and other dedicated public servants receive the Social Security benefits they paid into and deserve.”

President Biden is expected to sign the Social Security Fairness Act before he leaves office.