Legislation has been introduced that would permanently repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and replace it with a new formula.
The Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act (H.R. 3934) was introduced by Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX). It would replace the WEP with a formula “equalizing benefits for certain individuals with non-covered employment.”
The bill would provide individuals impacted by the WEP who are age 60 and older with a monthly rebate of $100 ($50 for surviving spouses) and change how the WEP is calculated for individuals under age 20.
For details on how the WEP impacts a federal retiree’s income, see How Does the WEP Affect Your Retirement Income?.
Brady said in a statement about the legislation:
For years, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have called for a permanent solution to fix WEP. This arbitrary Washington compromise has resulted in unfair treatment for our teachers, fire fighters, and police officers; and Texans simply cannot afford Congress to remain inactive and let this unfair policy be the law of the land.
Now is the time for Congress to put forth a solution that can actually be signed by the President. This legislation permanently repeals the current WEP, and instead uses a fairer formula that treats public servants like all other American workers. Democrats agree that this is a problem we must address now, and we hope they join us in fixing this long-standing problem this year. While I am introducing a bill today, I am committed to staying at the table to get a bill to the President’s desk
Brady previously introduced a similar bill in 2015.
