The Social Security Fairness Act legislation would cut two provisions that curtail retirement (Social Security) payments for public workers (approximately 2 million employees) and their surviving spouses and family members (approximately 800,000), the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).

Note, Reagan was president when the Social Security Amendments of 1983 with WEP and GPO were enacted.

What I don't understand is it sounds like the employees (and spouses) covered by these provisions did not pay Social Security on the wages affected by these provisions. Thus, why should they get Social Security for those wages?

"The biggest opposition to the bill is its cost. The Congressional Budget Office estimates it would cost upward of $190 billion over a decade... It would hasten the combined trust funds shortfall by six months to a year, when it's already in trouble... "

I'm not saying I'm against the act. I just wonder why these employees/employers weren't paying into Social Security. I'm guessing it was a "benefit" of being a public employee. I'm thinking the sponsors of this bill should have come up with a method to fund the additional Social Security payments. The Senate has until Dec. 31, 2024, to sign the bill and get it to the President to sign.