Battle for fairness continues on GPO/WEP
front
In the February Something Better, I gave an overview of the
Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination
Provision (WEP). I briefly outlined some steps you could take
to help in the effort to repeal these unfair and inequitable
provisions that affect educators in 15 states and public employees
in 50 states.
Now it’s time to get to work. Bills have been filed
in Congress and in the Missouri General Assembly. Your Association
can only do so much. Without a concerted grassroots effort,
we cannot accomplish our legislative goals. So here’s
a list of resources followed by a to-do list:
Resources:
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www.nea.org/lac:
Click on Social Security for talking points and latest
status of the bills, including sponsors. Sign up for e-mail
updates on federal issues, and sign on to be a cyber-lobbyist.
Direct links to your Congressional representatives are
provided.
-
www.mnea.org: Click
on “At the Capitol” for information about
state legislative issues and links to members of the Missouri
General Assembly.
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MNEA UniServ offices: Your local UniServ office has an
excellent video on this issue. CD ROMs explaining the
issue and packets of informational materials are also
available.
To-do list
-
Write, e-mail or call Senators Kit Bond and Jim Talent.
Ask them to sign on as cosponsors of U.S. Senate Bill
349. A personal letter or phone call may be most effective.
Be sure to include a brief mention about your own situation
if the GPO or WEP directly affects you.
-
Write, e-mail or call your Congressional representatives.
Ask them to sign on as cosponsors of U.S. House Bill 594.
Offer to meet with them when they’re back home.
Reps. Karen McCarthy and Lacy Clay have already signed
on.
-
Write, e-mail or call your Missouri Senator and Representative.
Ask them to support Senate Concurrent Resolution 6 and
House Concurrent Resolution 20. These concurrent resolutions
urge Congress to repeal the offsets.
By Martha Karlovetz
MNEA-Retired President
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