Stephanie Herseth Sandlin: “today the House stands to make a choice. We must choose to support our widowed teachers and public employees, or we…”

“today the House stands to make a choice. We must choose to support our widowed teachers and public employees, or we choose to oppose them. The choice is ours. I am appalled that our friends on the other side of the aisle would take a stand against our teachers and claim that the teachers are receiving full spousal benefits and are engaged in a gimmick or a trick or a fraud. Obtaining spousal benefits is not a trick or a fraud. It is a payment for an entire lifetime of work by a spouse. It is a payment for an entire lifetime of a man and woman working together. Saying that teachers receive Social Security for working 1 day of work is simply not true, and our friends on the other side of the aisle know it and it is embarrassing for them to say that. The real fraud in this is that the Democrats on the Committee on Ways and Means offered to fix this section by using the language of the Republicans if they would address the GPO. The Republicans said no. Clearly the Green amendment points out the total absurdity of the GPO. It is quite simple. Here is the way, the Republican plan. If someone works for an insurance company, no offset. If someone works for a pharmaceutical company, no offset. If someone works for an HMO, no offset. But if that person is a teacher, there is an offset and their spouse's lifetime of work is absolutely meaningless. At least our friends on the other side of the aisle are consistent.…”