If Congress passes pending association-backed legislation, public employees in California and 14 other states could finally escape from federal penalties that are reducing their hard-earned Social Security benefits.
United Teachers Los Angeles, CTA and NEA are co-sponsoring House Resolution 147, introduced by U.S. Reps. Buck McKeon (R-Santa Clarita) and Howard Berman (D-Van Nuys), and Senate Bill 619 by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California).
These bills would repeal federal laws that significantly reduce Social Security payments made to public employees who also receive a state pension, such as payments from the State Teachers' Retirement System (STRS).
Many teachers who qualified for Social Security benefits through non-teaching jobs or through their spouse's eligibility are losing thousands of dollars they would otherwise get because of these federal "offset" laws.
The UTLA/CTA/NEA legislation would fully repeal the offset penalties.
HR 147 now has more than 246 co-sponsors in the House, including all but 11 of the 53-member California delegation.
Write your member of Congress c/o House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515.