John Kerry: “today I have asked Senator Feinstein to add me as a cosponsor to her bill, S. 1523, which would amend the Social…”

“today I have asked Senator Feinstein to add me as a cosponsor to her bill, S. 1523, which would amend the Social Security Act to permanently repeal the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision. I am pleased to support my colleague Senator Kennedy and others in their support of this bill. Massachusetts is one of 15 states in which the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision hits employees and retirees particularly hard, because it is one of the few remaining states where many state employees, such as teachers, do not pay into the Federal Social security system. Rather, they pay into a state pension fund. For many workers, the formulas in the law that reduce Social Security benefits for these workers can have troubling and unintended consequences. Listen to the testimonial of one educator from my state. This constituent writes: I served 13 years in the military and am a wartime veteran. I did not receive a military pension; however, I did pay into Social Security. I am shocked to learn that I may receive virtually nothing from Social Security. My teaching pension in Massachusetts will be small if I retire at 60 with only 22 years of teaching service. I had previously thought that Social Security would help to make up for the smaller teaching pension. I feel that the Federal government is unfairly penalizing those who have embarked on second careers as teachers.”