Articles about Social Security that may be useful to Massachusetts retirees
As we continue our lobbying in Washington, D.C. to reform the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), reports indicate that the national public employee unions are now analyzing HR 711. Support of these organizations could prove essential to a bill passing during the current Congressional session.
Congressmen Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Richard Neal (D-MA) filed HR711. The bill now has 40 cosponsors – 23 Republicans and 17 Democrats, including all 9 Massachusetts Congressmen.
Medicare Rates May Increase for Some Retirees
OCTOBER 9, 2015: A flat Consumer Price Index (CPI) means there will be no COLA increase under Social Security for 2016. The CPI-W is the federal standard used to calculate inflation.
Since 1987, a national debate has raged as to whether or not the CPI-W is an accurate gauge for retirees. Many, including our Association, feel a more accurate measure is the CPI-E (Elderly), which looks to inflationary pressures such as healthcare costs that impact retirees on a larger scale.
HR711 Now Pending Before House Subcommittee on Social Security
July 2015 Voice: A milestone in our efforts to reform the Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) was reached in late May, when all nine members of the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation had officially signed on as cosponsors of HR711 – known as the Social Security Fairness Act.
MAY 2015 VOICE: Efforts to advance federal legislation reforming the Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) continue in earnest. Led by Congressmen Richard Neal (D-MA) and Kevin Brady (R-TX), HR711 has gained traction within the US House of Representatives.
Retirees Would See Current Benefits Increased
NOVEMBER 15, 2014: This week marked the first significant development toward providing retirees with relief from the Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) in several years.
On Thursday, Congressmen Richard Neal (D-MA) and Kevin Brady (R-TX) filed H.R. 5697, The Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act. The bill is the direct result of nearly a year’s worth of collaboration between our Association, the Texas Retired Teachers Association and Ohio Retired Teachers.
Association Officials Cautiously Optimistic
SEPTEMBER 12, 2014: This week Association officials traveled to Washington, D.C. for a series of meetings on the issue of the Social Security Windfall Elimination Provision – AKA the “WEP” law.
Association Attends WEP Summit
July 2014 Voice: Earlier this year we reported that our Association had launched a new approach toward reforming Social Security’s Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).
Association Meets With Feds
MAY 2014 VOICE: This winter, Association President Frank Valeri and Legislative Liaison Shawn Duhamel met with members of the Massachusetts’ Congressional Delegation in Washington, DC.
Valeri and Duhamel were in the nation’s capital to attend the annual Legislative Conference of the National Conference of Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS), to which the Association belongs. They met with the offices of all nine members of Congress, as well as Senior Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Triggers State/Teachers' and Local COLAs
MARCH 2014 VOICE: For some time, we’ve seen where the formula for calculating Social Security COLA (Cost-of-Living-Adjustment) benefits has been under attack as being too generous. Now there is push back against this criticism, with calls by some officials, most notably our senior US Senator Elizabeth Warren, to improve Social Security’s COLA.
FEBRUARY 21, 2014: Heeding calls from retiree advocates (including our Association) and Democratic Leaders, President Obama has dropped a provision from his federal budget proposal that would have used the chained CPI to calculate Social Security COLAs.
Since 1968 the Retired State, County and Municipal Employees Association has been the leading voice for Massachusetts public retirees and their families. Join with our 52,000 members as we continue the fight.
