Golden Signs Petition to Protect Mainers’ Social Security Benefits

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) is pushing to force a House vote on eliminating the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), which reduce Social Security benefits for millions of public employees, such as teachers and first responders.

Golden recently signed a bipartisan discharge petition to bring H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, to the floor. He is one of 326 cosponsors of the bill. 

“Public workers earned their full retirements after decades of selfless service. Limiting their benefits after they’ve already paid into the system is wrong,” Golden said. “I’ve opposed the WEP and GPO throughout my time in Congress and am proud to take this necessary step to force a vote on protecting Mainers’ full retirement benefits.”

The WEP and GPO were enacted in 1983 to reduce pensions for public employees who already receive other retirement benefits. The WEP reduces payments by up to half for those receiving both Social Security and outside pensions that were excluded from payroll taxes. The GPO reduces payments by up to two-thirds for beneficiaries that receive both a government pension and spousal or survivor benefits from Social Security.

As of 2023, more than 21,000 Mainers were affected by the WEP.

A discharge petition allows a majority of lawmakers to force a floor vote on legislation that has stalled in committee. This petition was filed and opened to signatures today.