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Kerry Calls for GPO/WEP Repeal

In a recent letter addressed to AFSCME members in jurisdictions where public employees do not participate in Social Security, presidential candidate John F. Kerry said he agrees with AFSCME that repeal of the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) is long overdue. "Social Security is a wonderful system for the vast majority of Americans," Kerry wrote, but for many public retirees "benefits have been reduced or eliminated for reasons that make little sense to me."

UNFAIR OFFSETS. Approximately 25 percent of AFSCME members (and public employees in general) are affected by the GPO and WEP. The GPO cuts Social Security spouse and widow benefits that these public retirees would normally be entitled to. The WEP cuts Social Security benefits that they earned themselves through private sector jobs held at various stages of their work lives.

Kerry explained that in his own state of Massachusetts, most public employees do not participate in Social Security. "As a result, I'm very familiar with public pensions and the unfair treatment that public pensioners receive" as a result of the offsets.

SPONSORS LEGISLATION. "In the Senate, I've been a strong advocate for reforming or repealing both the GPO and WEP. I've introduced (as chief sponsor in the last two sessions of Congress) S.1101 — a bill to modify the WEP and help public retirees keep more of their earned Social Security benefits," he said. "Also, I'm a co-sponsor of S.349, the GPO/WEP repeal bill, and S. 363, a bill to eliminate much of the GPO penalty."

Kerry noted that he's urging all his Senate colleagues to support the legislation and added that, if nothing is done in this Congress, "I promise to use all my influence as the next President of the United States to finally get rid of the GPO and WEP."

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