tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797875972831999598.post1608792553150658763..comments2023-11-22T04:27:07.521-06:00Comments on glen brown: Repeal the Punitive Government Pension Offset & Windfall Elimination Provisiongbrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13435049339082622611noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797875972831999598.post-83920638626408814882016-02-26T15:13:25.031-06:002016-02-26T15:13:25.031-06:00I have heard this story over and over again as I v...I have heard this story over and over again as I visit local retired teachers' groups. When a SS eligible spouse dies, a SS non-eligible spouse gets nothing. Poppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11899315619931191468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797875972831999598.post-51452127772784197872015-10-29T15:44:47.909-05:002015-10-29T15:44:47.909-05:00Dear Mr. Brown:
Thank you for contacting me to vo...Dear Mr. Brown:<br /><br />Thank you for contacting me to voice your support for repealing the Windfall Elimination and Government Pension Offset Provisions in current law. I appreciate your active participation in our legislative process. Your involvement helps me more effectively represent you and the Eleventh District of Illinois.<br /><br />I agree with you, and you will be pleased to know that after hearing form constituents such as yourself I joined as a co-sponsor of H.R.973, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2015. Introduced on February 13th, 2015, by my colleague Congressman Rodney Davis (R-IL), this measure would repeal the government pension offset requirements for Social Security that apply to the insurance benefits of spouses, widows and widowers, and mothers and fathers. The bill would also repeal windfall elimination requirements used to calculate an individual’s primary insurance amount under Social Security.<br /><br />As you know, when Social Security was first created, public employees were intentionally excluded because they already had pension programs in place. Unfortunately, this rule has resulted in millions of hardworking public employees and their families being penalized when they retire. H.R.973 has been referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. Please know that as a co-sponsor of this bill, I plan to vote for it if I have the opportunity to do so in the House of Representatives.<br /><br />I apologize for the delay in responding to your concerns. It is my policy to respond to every one of the thousands of emails, faxes and letters I receive each month. Hearing from the people I serve is vital to doing my job right. Thank you again for taking the time to share your concerns and I hope you keep in touch with me on this or any other issue you feel important. To stay informed of my work, or to sign up for my electronic newsletters, please visit my website at http://foster.house.gov. It is an honor to represent you.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br />Bill Foster<br />Member of Congressgbrownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13435049339082622611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797875972831999598.post-67322000908894545262015-10-29T15:09:58.404-05:002015-10-29T15:09:58.404-05:00TAKE ACTION! E-mail and call Congress. Tell your ...TAKE ACTION! E-mail and call Congress. Tell your Representative to support and co-sponsor the bill to end GPO and WEP and restore Social Security fairness. gbrownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13435049339082622611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1797875972831999598.post-60009948788280493212015-10-29T07:00:13.052-05:002015-10-29T07:00:13.052-05:00I am one of the female retirees who is affected by...I am one of the female retirees who is affected by the Windfall Profit Elimination Act. I lose $450 of my earned Social Security every month. I paid into the Social Security system for 32 years, although only 24 were considered qualifying years so I did not qualify for the 30 years exemption to the Act. I returned to teaching in the public schools in Illinois in 2005 at the age of 55. I was never advised of this penalty and only learned about it in 2008. My husband, who continues to pay the Spousal Benefits charge for over 45 years, was never allowed to drop that payment or receive a refund even though I will never be allowed to collect it.<br /><br />A colleague of mine who retired from the same Illinois public school at the same time I did in 2013, also taught in the Michigan Public Schools for 15 years. Since Michigan is not a participant in the Act, she accrued full pension and Social Security benefits for those 15 years which pushed her over the 30 year exemption mark. She does not lose anything each month on her Social Security benefits. Although I am happy for her, I am also angry at this arbitrary and discriminatory system that penalizes me $5,420 per year for the privilege of working in Illinois and penalizes my husband as well who must pay for benefits that I will never be allowed to receive.<br /><br />What can we do?<br /><br />Mrs. Patricia Lofthouse<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01046534818379994028noreply@blogger.com