AdoptedINot Adopted by Precinct - , Senate District

Social Security Fairness for Public Employees

Whereas, the vast majority of teachers and other employees in Texas

public schools and community colleges work in districts that do not
participate in the Social Security system, and many police officers,
firefighters, and other public servants in Texas also work for local
governments that do not participate in Social Security; and

Whereas, a great many of these public employees earn Social

Security benefits based on their jobs with other employers covered by
Social Security or qualify for Social Security spousal benefits based on their
spouse's work at jobs covered by Social Security; and

Whereas, a nasty surprise awaits such teachers and other public

servants when they retire, as they reasonably believe they will receive their
full, earned Social Security benefits, but, in fact, find those benefits cut - in
some cases even eliminated - because federal law deems their state or
local pension a "windfall;" and

Whereas, a widowed teacher who is eligible to receive a Social

Security survivor's benefit of $600 a month, based on her husband's years
of work, and who, from her own teaching career, has earned a TRS
pension of $900 a month, would find her Social Security survivor's benefit
entirely eliminated by federal law imposing a so-called "Government
Pension Offset;" and

Whereas, a teacher who earns Social Security benefits from a prior

career or second job could find her Social Security benefits cut by up to
$355 a month under another federal pension offset law called the "Windfall
Elimination Provision;" and

Whereas, these provisions penalize middle-income and low-income

individuals who move from privatesector employment to teaching and
other public service and penalize individuals who earned Social Security
benefits through other employment, thereby harming the ability of Texas
schools, colleges, and local governments to recruit and retain teachers and
other needed public servants; and

Whereas, the Social Security Fairness Act would end this unfairness
by repealing both the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall
Elimination Provision; and
(over)
 Whereas the Social Security Fairness Act was filed in the U.S. House
of Representatives as H.R. 82 by Rep. Howard Berman (D-California) and
had 340 co-sponsors as of February 15, 2008, including all 13 Texas
Democrats in the U.S. House, and was filed in the U.S. Senate as S. 206
by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) and had 36 co-sponsors as of
February 15, including both Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama; and

Whereas Texas Republican U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and

U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady have filed legislation that purports to address this
issue but is actually an inadequate alternative filed in hopes of reducing
grass-roots political pressure for passage of the Fairness Act; now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that this precinct of

County of the Democratic Party supports prompt
passage of the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82 and S. 206) by the
U.S. House and Senate.

Submitted by (name of person and/or org.)

From Precinct

From Senate District