Hearing Scheduled for Social Security Fairness Legislation (WEP-GPO Repeal)
November 1, 2007
On September 18, local leaders and National President David Holway met with Senator John Kerry at his office in Washington, D.C., to urge him to schedule a public hearing on the "Social Security Fairness Act of 2007." This Act would repeal WEP and GPO, which cost individual public employees thousands of dollars each year by lowering or eliminating their Social Security benefits.
President Holway today announced that Senator Kerry had scheduled the requested hearing. President Holway's letter to members follows:
Dear Member:
I am writing to you today to report that we have a partial victory in the WEP-GPO fight. At long last, our junior Senator, John Kerry, has scheduled a hearing on the proposed legislation. The hearing will take place at 2:30 p.m. next Tuesday (Nov. 6) in Washington, D.C.
I am convinced that it was the pressure put on the Senator by our members in Massachusetts and across the country that forced him to schedule this hearing.
Because of this pressure, however, the Senator has chosen to snub us and SEIU by not allowing us to speak at the hearing, although I will attend the hearing and will submit written testimony.
This fight has just begun.
We will update you after the hearing next week to let you know what steps we will all need to take to force our reluctant Senator to move this matter to the floor of the Senate.
If we continue to work together, our collective voices will be heard and this injustice will be rectified.
The timing for us could not be better, as the Senator is up for re-election next year.
Thank you for your continued efforts.
In solidarity,
David J. Holway
National President