President Joe Biden on Sunday signed a bipartisan bill expanding Social Security benefits for more than 2 million Americans, marking one of his last pieces of legislation before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20. January. The new law addresses long-standing inequalities in the system and represents a rare moment of broad bipartisan agreement.
“By signing this bill, we are expanding Social Security benefits for millions of teachers… and other public employees, as well as their spouses and survivors,” Biden said during the ceremony. “That means an estimated average increase of $360 per month. That’s a big problem.”
The legislation, which passed the House with a vote of 327-75 in November and the Senate 76-20 in December, eliminates the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These provisions had reduced Social Security benefits for people who also received government pensions, disproportionately affecting teachers, first responders, and other public servants.
Biden highlighted that almost 2.5 million Americans will receive lump sum payments to make up for benefits they lost in 2024, amounting to thousands of dollars per recipient. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), a co-sponsor of the legislation, praised the repeal of the provisions.
“This is a victory for thousands of teachers, first responders, public servants, and the countless advocates who fought for years to right this injustice,” Collins wrote in a statement. “This law ensures that public service will no longer be performed at the expense of earned retirement benefits.”
Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), who co-sponsored the House version of the bill, celebrated the achievement on social media. “Our retired police officers, firefighters, teachers and public employees worked for DECADES to right this wrong.” she wrote.
Expansion expected It will cost $195.65 billion over the next decade and accelerate the insolvency date of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) trust fund by about six months, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The fund, which was previously projected to be depleted during fiscal year 2033, could now be depleted sooner due to additional costs.
The signing ceremony Bipartisan lawmakers attended, including Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Representative Troy Carter (D-LA), and Representative . Mike Carey (R-OH), among others.
This legislative milestone underscores a rare moment of cooperation in Congress, addressing longstanding inequalities in Social Security benefits for public employees.