GILLIBRAND CALLS ON SENATE TO PASS BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO EXPAND SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS
Bill Would Increase Social Security Payments For 2.5 Million Americans, Including Over 35,000 New Yorkers
Legislation Would Benefit State and Local Government Employees, Including Teachers, Firefighters, And Police Officers
Editor’s note: We previously covered Senator Gillibrand’s chairing of the subcommittee hearing with the new director of AARO about their analyses of UAPs (formerly known as UFOs). Senator Gillibrand has also championed the expansion of social security benefits for elderly Americans which would allow them to keep pace with rising health insurance premiums and costs of treatment.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a virtual press conference urging the Senate to pass the Social Security Fairness Act, bipartisan legislation that would increase Social Security benefits for 2.5 million Americans, including thousands of police officers, firefighters, teachers, and other government employees who have dedicated their lives to serving their communities. Current law reduces Social Security benefits for workers who receive pensions based on earnings from employment that is not covered by Social Security and its payroll tax, meaning that government workers who hold non-governmental jobs during their careers are unfairly penalized. The Social Security Fairness Act would repeal these provisions that reduce Social Security benefits and would provide retirees with the full payments they are owed. The bill passed the House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support last week; now, Gillibrand is calling on the Senate to send it to President Biden’s desk immediately.
“Our public servants work hard their whole lives serving their communities,” said Senator Gillibrand. “When they retire, they deserve to receive the Social Security benefits they have earned, just like everyone else. This bill is a commonsense fix and I’m proud to cosponsor it. I urge my Senate colleagues to get it passed and to President Biden’s desk as soon as possible.”
The Social Security Fairness Act would repeal two harmful provisions that significantly reduce Social Security benefits for roughly 2.5 million Americans:
- The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which reduces the Social Security benefits of workers who also receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government for employment not covered by Social Security. In December 2023, about 2.1 million people (or about 3% of all Social Security beneficiaries) were affected by the WEP.
- The Government Pension Offset (GPO), which reduces Social Security spousal or survivor benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who also receive pensions from a federal, state, or local government for employment not covered by Social Security.
The bill was passed in the House last week by a margin of 327-75 and has 62 cosponsors in the Senate.
GILLIBRAND PRAISES $1.5 BILLION IN CHIPS FUNDING FOR GLOBALFOUNDRIES; GRANT WILL EXPAND FACILITY, ENABLE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW FACTORY, AND CREATE GOOD-PAYING JOBS IN THE CAPITAL REGION
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand hailed the awarding of $1.5 billion in CHIPS and Science Act funding for GlobalFoundries, a leading manufacturer of semiconductors. The funding will enable GlobalFoundries to expand its existing chip manufacturing facility and to construct a new state-of-the-art facility in Malta, New York.
“The Capital Region has established itself as a global leader in chip manufacturing, and this $1.5 billion in CHIPS Act funding will further strengthen the region’s role in this growing industry,” said Senator Gillibrand. “With this funding, GlobalFoundries will be able to expand its existing facility and to build a new state-of-the-art fab at its complex in Malta, creating good-paying jobs and boosting the Upstate New York economy. I am proud to have helped pass this historic bill, which is creating advanced manufacturing jobs here in New York and laying the foundation for a bright future.”
As a result of the CHIPS & Science Act, Upstate New York has received significant federal funding for semiconductor manufacturing, and chips manufacturers have made a number of substantial investments. Micron announced plans for an unprecedented $100 billion investment to build a cutting-edge fab in Central New York, creating nearly 50,000 good-paying jobs. Earlier this year, the Albany NanoTech Complex was awarded $825 million in federal funding to become the first National Semiconductor Technology Center.
Banner Image: Older adult in her own home. Image Credit – CDC
