Half a loaf is better than none!

If you’ve been following this column, you know about the Social Security Fairness Act, calling for total repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the government pension offsets. You also know that even with 300 cosponsors, H.R. 594 has been stuck in the House Subcommittee on Social Security, chaired by Congressman Clay Shaw.

This summer, following months of negotiations led by the NEA, progress was made in the form of a compromise bill. The Public Servant Retirement Protection Act (H.R. 4391/SB 2455) would introduce a new formula for calculating Social Security benefits that would combine Social Security and non-Social Security earnings and reduce the impact of the WEP. It does not address the government pension offset.

During the NEA Convention in Washington, D.C., more than 60 Missouri delegates met with aides from every Missouri congressional office to urge support for H.R. 4391 as an important first step toward full repeal. The fact that Rep. Shaw and my own congressman, Rep. Kenny Hulshof, both members of the Social Security Subcommittee, have signed on is significant and may be what it takes to get something passed. NEA lobbyists working on this issue believe that passage of this bill is achievable with this Congress and this president. These same experts in the political process advise that, if we don’t get behind this bill and work for its passage, we won’t see anything happen in the next four years unless Congress and the presidency both change.

Sure, it’s political! But we live in a political world, and decisions about Social Security and our public pensions are made in a political world. Progress is often achieved step by step, just as when we negotiate local contracts at the bargaining table. Since this bill only addresses the WEP, its passage will make a strong argument for a concentrated effort to repeal the GPO with the next Congress. Meanwhile, the NEA remains committed to the goal of full repeal.

For more information about the Public Servant Retirement Protection Act, as well as a sample worksheet to calculate your personal Social Security benefits under the new formula, go to www.nea.org/lac and click on “current issues, Social Security.” Then take the next step: contact your representatives and urge their support in addressing the inequities of the WEP and the GPO. You can contact any member of Congress by e-mail or simply by calling (800) 839-5276.

MNEA-R receives recognition for membership efforts
MNEA-Retired was recognized at the NEA-Retired Annual Meeting in July as the retired state affiliate with the second highest percentage increase in membership for 2003-2004: 12.8 percent. At MNEA’s Leadership Conference, MNEA-Retired was also recognized for topping the 3,000-member mark.

Join now and save money
Pre-retired and lifetime dues in MNEA-Retired and NEA-Retired are only $200. Any active MNEA/NEA member is eligible to join. Dues are scheduled to increase to $250 in the fall of 2005. If you’re not already a pre-retired member, you can join this year and save—you can even opt for 10 installments of $20 through electronic-fund transfer if you sign up by Oct. 1. Contact MNEA-R at (888) 968-4820, or go to www.mnea.org and click on “Retired” for more information.