U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) on Sept. 30 sponsored a discharge petition signed by almost two dozen of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle that would force a vote on his bipartisan bill, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2021.
H.R. 82, which Rep. Davis sponsored in January 2021, would repeal provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals who receive other benefits, such as a pension from a state or local government.
Specifically, H.R. 82 would eliminate the government pension offset, which in various instances reduces Social Security benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who also receive government pensions of their own, and would end the windfall elimination provision, which in some instances reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who also receive a pension or disability benefit from an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes, according to the congressional record bill summary.
Currently, H.R. 82 has a supermajority of 303 cosponsors; only 218 signatures are needed on a discharge petition to force a floor vote on the bill, according to the congressman’s staff.
“It’s unfortunate that our bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act hasn’t received a vote despite having over 300 cosponsors,” said Rep. Davis. “I’m filing a discharge petition to force a vote on H.R. 82 because our police officers, firefighters, and other public employees deserve relief from these unfair provisions in the Social Security code.
“I urge every H.R. 82 cosponsor to sign our discharge petition so we can pass this bill before the end of the year,” he added.
Among the members who have already signed the discharge petition are U.S. Reps. Garret Graves (R-LA), Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Pete Stauber (R-MN), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), David Valadao (R-CA), Stephanie Bice (R-OK), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Mike Garcia (R-CA), and Ann Kuster (D-NH).
The filing of a discharge petition follows the members pursuing the House Consensus Calendar process to force a vote on the legislation.
“It shouldn’t take a literal act of Congress to fund Louisiana’s police, teachers, firefighters and other public servants, but here we are,” said Rep. Garret Graves. “We are using this discharge petition to make it clear to Speaker Pelosi that we won’t stop fighting. Our position is clear and folks should be asking Speaker Pelosi why she isn’t bringing our bill to the floor for a vote.”