NCPERS Honors Gov. Abigail Spanberger for Leadership on Social Security Fairness Act
Media Contact: Lizzy Lees (llees@ncpers.org)
RICHMOND, VA — May 5, 2026 — NCPERS announced that Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has been named its 2026 Policymaker of the Year, honoring her leadership in advancing the Social Security Fairness Act and her longstanding commitment to strengthening retirement security for public sector workers.
The NCPERS Policymaker of the Year Award, presented annually, recognizes policymakers whose initiatives have significantly strengthened public pensions or advanced retirement security more broadly.
Gov. Spanberger is being honored for her pivotal role in bringing decades-long advocacy efforts to fruition by repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) — two policies that reduced or eliminated Social Security benefits for millions of state and local public servants.
Before being elected governor, Gov. Spanberger led a bipartisan effort in Congress to move the Social Security Fairness Act across the finish line. Alongside Rep. Garret Graves (R‑LA), then‑Rep. Spanberger spearheaded a discharge petition that brought the bill to the House floor, overcoming years of legislative inaction. The effort culminated in House passage in November 2024, Senate approval in December 2024, and the bill’s enactment into law in January 2025.
“Gov. Spanberger’s leadership, persistence, and willingness to take bold action were instrumental in the passage of the Social Security Fairness Act,” said Hank Kim, CEO of NCPERS. “On behalf of our members and the millions of public employees affected by these offsets, NCPERS is proud to recognize her with our 2026 Policymaker of the Year Award.”
As many as 6.5 million state and local government employees — approximately 28% of the public workforce — were affected by WEP and GPO. The Social Security Fairness Act repeals both provisions, resulting in meaningful financial relief for retirees and their families.
A lifelong public servant, Gov. Spanberger represented Virginia’s 7th Congressional District from 2019 to 2025 before being elected as Virginia’s first female governor. Throughout her public service career, she has emphasized bipartisan collaboration and pragmatic solutions, particularly on issues affecting working families and retirees.
“For more than 40 years, the federal government denied millions of public servants their full, earned retirement benefits. From my first term in Congress, I knew this was something we needed to fix," said Governor Abigail Spanberger. "I am grateful to receive this award, and I am proud of our years of work to address this basic issue of fairness. Because of our efforts, tens of thousands of Virginia police officers, firefighters, educators, and other public servants — and millions of Americans nationwide — are now receiving the full benefits they earned through their years of service."
NCPERS joined members representing several Virginia-based public pension systems to present Gov. Spanberger with the 2026 Policymaker of the Year Award during a recognition event in Richmond on April 28.
About NCPERS
Since 1941, NCPERS has been the trusted partner for public pension leaders across local, county, and state retirement systems. Through practical education, timely insights, and a welcoming peer community, we help members strengthen their funds and secure the futures of more than 20 million teachers, police officers, firefighters, municipal workers, and other public servants.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NCPERS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization proudly representing a diverse membership that includes more than 650 public sector retirement systems, plan sponsors, unions, and service providers who collectively manage approximately $6 trillion in retirement assets.
NCPERS is more than an association. We are the industry’s hub for connection, catalyst for progress, and partner working to strengthen retirement systems for generations to come.
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