(Washington, DC) - Congressman Baron Hill has added his name as a co-sponsor of the Social Security Fairness Act, H.R. 82.  The bill, introduced by Representative Howard Berman, has more than 270 co-sponsors and is currently pending before the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means.

“I am committed to ensuring that all Americans receive their entitled Social Security benefits,” Hill said.  “And, the Social Security Fairness Act does just that.”

H.R. 82 repeals the Government Pension Offset (GPO) provision and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which unfairly penalize some Americans and short them of Social Security benefits they need and deserve.  Public servants, like teachers, police officers, and firefighters do not receive their full Social Security benefits despite having paid into the system throughout their careers, due to the GPO and WEP. 

“I don’t think it’s fair to penalize hard-working Americans,” Hill said.  “These provisions have been in place for more than 20 years, and they need to be repealed.”

Specifically, the GPO reduces Social Security benefits that a person receives as a spouse if he or she also has a federal, state or local government pension based on work that was not covered by Social Security.  And, the WEP reduces Social Security benefits of workers who also have pension benefits from employment not covered by Social Security.