President Biden Signs Bill to Boost Social Security Payments for Public Workers
On January 5, President Joe Biden enacted a bill aimed at increasing Social Security benefits for nearly three million Americans. This decision comes in the context of looming concerns that the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, alongside House Republicans, might be considering cuts to the widely favored Social Security program.
The legislation, known as the Social Security Fairness Act, received bipartisan approval in the Senate last month. It is set to enhance retirement benefits specifically for public employees, including educators and law enforcement personnel. Currently, Social Security payments are diminished for those workers who also receive public pensions.
“The bill I’m signing today is about a simple proposition,” stated President Biden. “Americans who have worked hard all their life to earn an honest living should be able to retire with economic security and dignity.”
The bill’s signing follows the re-election of Louisiana Representative Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House. The House Freedom Caucus, representing far-right interests, supported Johnson on the condition of his commitment to reducing federal spending and the deficit—a stance that advocates fear could imply cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
Despite his initial efforts to prevent the Social Security Fairness Act from reaching a vote, Johnson eventually supported the bill after a bipartisan group of lawmakers employed a discharge petition to bring it to the House floor. The bill passed with a 327-75 vote.
A spokesperson for Johnson did not provide immediate comments regarding this development.
During his campaign, Trump assured that there would be no reductions to Social Security, repeatedly affirming this promise post-Election Day. Nevertheless, Trump has established the Department of Government Efficiency, led by entrepreneurs Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk, to identify and eliminate wasteful federal spending. Their ambitious aim to cut “trillions” could potentially necessitate significant reductions in Social Security or Medicare, according to economists.
Vice President-elect J.D. Vance has also indicated a readiness to consider cuts to safety net programs, as reported here.
The Social Security Fairness Act, originally introduced in 2001, was closely associated with Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, who reintroduced it multiple times over the years. It marks the final legislation he successfully championed before leaving the Senate following his electoral defeat to Republican Bernie Moreno.
“For decades I have fought to ensure that public servants get the full Social Security they have earned,” Brown shared on social media after the Senate’s approval of the bill in December. “Tonight, we passed the Social Security Fairness Act and finally got it done.”
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