Biden signs Social Security Fairness Act eliminating WEP and GPO provisions

President Biden signs the Social Security Fairness Act into law, repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), two provisions that had reduced or eliminated Social Security benefits for millions of public sector workers including teachers, firefighters, and police officers who also received a government pension. The law increases average monthly benefits by $360 for 2.1 million WEP-affected beneficiaries and by $700-$1,190 for GPO-affected surviving spouses. Benefits are retroactive to January 2024. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the law adds approximately $196 billion to federal deficits over ten years. Public employee unions celebrate the signing as a decades-long victory.