Congressman Castro Celebrates Enactment of Social Security Fairness Act
New law will restore full Social Security benefits to 273,154 retired public servants and families in Texas
WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement to celebrate the enactment of the Social Security Fairness Act, bipartisan legislation he co-sponsored to repeal restrictions that prevented millions of public servants from receiving the full Social Security benefits they earned:
“Passing the Social Security Fairness Act was a matter of doing the right thing for Texans who dedicated their careers to public service. For decades, the government has unfairly reduced retirement benefits for teachers, firefighters, and other public servants who worked hard and paid into Social Security. Under this new law, hundreds of thousands of Texans will finally be eligible for the full benefits they earned. I was proud to co-sponsor the Social Security Fairness Act, and I will continue fighting to preserve and expand Social Security for the generations to come,” said Congressman Joaquin Castro.
The Social Security Fairness Act repeals previous statutes that reduced Social Security benefits for individuals who receive other types of retirement payments, including pensions from state or local government. According to the Congressional Research Service, 273,154 Texans stand to benefit from the Social Security Fairness Act, with an average increase of between $360 - $1,520/month, depending on their specific eligibility. Beneficiaries will also be eligible for back payments dating back to January 2024, with average back payments of $4,320. The Social Security Administration is expected to publish more information on the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act on SSA.gov in the weeks and months to come.
For more information about the impact of the Social Security Fairness Act, click here.