Schumer tells the feds he will vote to repeal the deadweight elimination provision

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told unions and federal labor groups on Wednesday that he would schedule a vote in the Senate on legislation to repeal two controversial tax provisions that hit some public servants’ pension benefits just weeks before the end of the congressional session and Democrats would shorten. Control of the chamber.

Schumer’s comments came at a rain-soaked rally organized by lawmakers and unions on Capitol Hill in support of the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82), which passed the House of Representatives last month by a vote of 327-75.

“I’m here to tell you that the Senate will take action on the Social Security Fairness Act,” Schumer said. “You will find out which senators are for you and which are against you. All my Democrats stand ready to support it. . . and we need 15 Republicans, so let’s get them and we’ll have the choice. What is happening to you is unfair, it is un-American and I will fight it with all my might.”

If passed, the bill would repeal the Social Security deadweight elimination provision and the state pension equalization. The deadweight elimination provision reduces the Social Security benefits of retired federal employees who spent part of their career in the private sector in addition to a federal, state, or local government job that does not provide Social Security as part of their retirement income. z as the public service pension system. And the state pension equalization reduces Social Security benefits for spouses and survivors in families with retired state employees.

Despite broad bipartisan support over the years, lawmakers have struggled to advance the legislation. Reps. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., and Garret Graves, R-La., the bill’s architects in the House, ultimately filed a discharge motion to force leadership to bring the bill to the floor for a vote.

“Three hundred and twenty-seven people voted for this bill because they know that week after week, month after month, their constituents across the country who have paid into Social Security and dedicated themselves to public service are having their deserved benefits taken away “Because of an accounting trick, that Congress enacted decades ago,” Spanberger said. “And we are two steps away from fixing the problem: first, when the Senate puts it to a vote, and then the last stop is going to the president’s desk. And I promise you that when this bill is presented to the President, we will see the righting of a wrong that has affected so many for so long.”

“This injustice has been going on for 40 years now,” Graves said. “For 40 years you have had your money stolen, you have been discriminated against and this is absolutely unacceptable. And despite all the odds, despite the fact that no one was able to get this bill to a vote in the House, because of your actions and our actions, we actually got his bill through the House with an overwhelming bipartisan vote.”

There are already 63 co-sponsors for the accompanying legislation in the Senate. More than 60 votes are needed to defeat a filibuster and force an up or down vote on the bill. The congressional session ends on January 3rd.