FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 21, 2024
CONTACT: Nicole Hill, press@texasaft.org
Texas AFT President Zeph Capo and Texas AFT Retiree Plus Chair Rita Runnels issued the following statements celebrating the bipartisan passage of the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82). When signed into law by President Joe Biden, this bill will repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset, two provisions that reduce and sometimes eliminate Social Security benefits for millions of workers, including millions of Texas public school employees.
Capo said: “The passage of the Social Security Fairness Act rights a long-standing wrong done to the very people who work every day on behalf of our public good, whether that’s teachers or support staff in our public schools or firefighters protecting our communities. For decades, AFT members have lobbied Congress for a fix to these harmful provisions that have left our retired educators scraping to get by in the years they should spend celebrating a life well lived. If you pay into Social Security, those benefits should be yours in full. Period.
I am grateful that bipartisan majorities in both chambers of Congress have now worked together to ease the burden on our families, for once and for all. That includes Sen. John Cornyn; Texas public school employees thank him for listening to his constituents and diligently prioritizing the needs of the many.
It is unfortunate, if not unexpected, that we cannot say the same of Sen. Ted Cruz, who first attempted to insert a poison pill into this bill and delay its passage, before voting against the bill altogether. The senator cannot claim ignorance of how this bill would improve the lives of his constituents; our retirees have been contacting his office throughout this bill’s journey. Perhaps the upcoming Senate recess provides an opportunity for visits from three ghosts who can instill in Sen. Cruz a sense of bipartisanship and care for his constituents that we have been unable to do.”
Runnels said: “Finally. Retired Texas teachers, school staff, and public employees can rest easier this holiday season, knowing we will have the benefits we earned through our lifetimes of service.
I am so grateful that the Social Security Fairness Act garnered such overwhelming bipartisan support in both the U.S. House and Senate. It is a testament to the importance of repealing these unjust penalties that have forced so many public servants into financial hardship in retirement, even though they had contributed to Social Security for years.
Texas AFT Retiree Plus members have never stopped fighting for this crucial reform, even as so many of us suffered hardships and grieved losses of our own. This has been a long road; the Senate held its first hearings on this issue in 2003. But our retirees’ dedication and persistence prove that grassroots advocacy can overcome even the toughest political obstacles.
None of us entered our careers as teachers, paraprofessionals, or support staff members thinking they would make us wealthy. We taught and tended to the next generations because we loved our important work. But we expected to get the benefits we earned. I’m grateful Congress has finally delivered on that promise.”
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The Texas American Federation of Teachers represents 66,000 teachers, paraprofessionals, support personnel, and higher-education employees across the state. Texas AFT is affiliated with the 1.8-million-member American Federation of Teachers and the AFL-CIO.