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After Historic Vote to Repeal WEP-GPO, What’s Next?
A two-thirds vote was necessary for House passage because the bills were considered under a “suspension of the rules” procedure.
The WEP-GPO repeal bill (H.R. 82) was approved by the full House by a vote of 327 to 75. Please find the roll call vote here. The link allows you to search by party, state, or individual House Member.
During the debate on H.R. 82, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) stated that repeal was far from a perfect solution, that the cost to the Social Security trust fund is almost $200 billion over 10 years and would accelerate by six months the insolvency of the trust fund. However, he stated that he shares the goal of providing real relief and asked Members and stakeholders to work with him to find a bipartisan solution. Chairman Smith voted present on final passage of H.R. 82.
A second vote was taken on a WEP-only formula change bill (H.R. 5342). This bill was defeated by a vote of 175 to 225. Please find the roll call vote here. H.R. 5342 is largely a GOP initiative, with 36 Republican cosponsors and only one Democrat. In past Congresses there have been Democratic proposals along the same lines, e.g., providing some relief to those currently affected by WEP and establishing a new proportional formula for benefits of those workers with a mixed Social Security work history. The WEP-only bill was touted by its proponents as a fiscally responsible approach to the injustice of the WEP penalty, and one that would use the Social Security Administration's new data sources to formulate a fair benefit.
The focus now turns to the Senate for potential action during the lame-duck session. Proponents of WEP-GPO repeal will be pressing Senators to schedule and vote on the House-approved bill. A companion Senate bill, S. 597, has 62 cosponsors. Sixty votes are needed to break a threatened filibuster on legislation, so there would be little room for error if the bill is brought to the Senate floor as standalone legislation. Given the Senate rules, it may be a more productive route for advocates to attempt to attach WEP-GPO repeal to an end-of-year, must-pass bill. NCPERS will be closely following these developments and will share the latest updates during our December 5th webinar, State and Federal Legislative Outlook for Public Pensions.
To gain a deeper understanding of the policy-related issues that may impact public pensions, we invite you to join us in Washington, DC on January 27-29 for NCPERS Legislative Conference & Policy Day. During this fast-paced program, you'll hear from lawmakers, their key staff, the Administration, and regulators about their plans for the months ahead. This immersive program is meant to equip public pension trustees and administrators with the tools needed to effectively advocate on behalf of their plans, providing the opportunity to connect with policymakers during scheduled meetings on the Hill. Learn more and register here to participate in pension advocacy in action.
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