Rep. Arrington Introduces Bill to Ensure Equitable Social Security Benefits for Public Servants

Rep. Arrington Introduces Bill to Ensure Equitable Social Security Benefits for Public Servants.U.S. Representative Jodey Arrington, a Republican from Lubbock, has introduced a significant piece of legislation with the aim of ensuring equitable Social Security benefits for public servants in their retirement.

Rep. Arrington Introduces Bill to Ensure Equitable Social Security Benefits for Public Servants

The bill, known as H.R. 5342 or the “Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act,” seeks to replace the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) with a new formula designed to calculate Social Security benefits for certain retirees who receive pensions.

Announcement at Lubbock Fire Rescue Station 19

Chairman of the House Budget Committee and a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Rep. Arrington held a news conference at Lubbock Fire Rescue Station 19 alongside first responders and retired teachers to unveil the legislation. During this event, he expressed his determination to transform this proposal into a concrete reality rather than a mere political rally.

Challenges of the Current System

Under the existing WEP, retirees subject to it face significant reductions in their Social Security benefits, a formula established in 1983. For example, retired teachers who draw pensions from the Teacher Retirement System of Texas but have also contributed to Social Security through another job may not receive the full benefits they’ve paid into the system, as highlighted by Terry Navrkal, a 30-year veteran of Lubbock ISD and the secretary and treasurer of the Texas Retired Teachers Association.

Addressing Disparities

Rep. Arrington’s legislation addresses the concerns of both undercompensated and overcompensated retirees by proposing a balanced approach. It establishes a formula to compensate those who have been receiving insufficient benefits while allowing those who have planned their retirement around overcompensation to select the higher benefit for the duration of their retirement. Over time, the bill gradually transitions to the proposed formula.

Prior Legislation and Bipartisan Collaboration

It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time legislation to reform or eliminate the WEP has been introduced. Previous efforts led by retired Representative Kevin Brady did not advance past committee discussions. Additionally, other bills, such as the Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act authored by Representative Richard Neal and the Social Security Fairness Act introduced by Representative Garret Graves, are also addressing the WEP issue.

Rep. Arrington expresses his eagerness to collaborate with Representative Neal to reconcile the differences between their bills, aiming to craft legislation that stands a good chance of becoming law.

Fiscal Responsibility: Rep. Arrington emphasizes the importance of fiscal responsibility, highlighting that completely repealing the WEP, at an estimated cost of $80 billion to taxpayers, is considered “bad policy” and fiscally irresponsible. He asserts that his bill is budget-neutral, addressing the undercompensation issue for public servants equitably while being fiscally responsible.

Legislative Progress: As of the latest update, Rep. Arrington’s bill has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee, where it awaits further consideration.