The Senate voted to repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) on Friday, December 20, 2024. The repeal of WEP is a significant victory for Americans abroad, ensuring they receive the full Social Security benefits they’ve earned. This change corrects an inequity that materially impacted those who worked in positions both in the U.S. Social Security system and outside of it. That includes a range of municipal employees, like teachers and first responders, as well as, of course, many Americans abroad. The bill, therefore, provides long-overdue financial fairness and stability to all retirees who contributed to the Social Security system.
Democrats Abroad has been working to raise awareness about WEP and the associated injustices since at least 2009. We would like to thank all those who have advocated for WEP relief over the years, including the WEP Committee of the Global Seniors Caucus and the Taxation Task Force, for the countless hours they have committed to enacting this reform. We’d also like to thank the thousands of members who called, emailed, and faxed their Congressional representatives in the House and Senate to make their voices heard.