• Social Security Fairness Act / House of Representatives: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/82?s=1&r=3
• Senate: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1302/cosponsors?q=%7B%22search%22:[%22S1302%22]%7D&r=1&s=1&searchResultViewType=expanded

The proposed legislation eliminates the unfair "Government Pension Offset" (GPO) and "Windfall Elimination Provision" (WEP). GPO and WEP unfairly reduce Social Security payments of those who earned retirement benefits on work not covered by the Social Security (e.g., federal, state, local government employment, or employment in another country). The WEP provisions affect many legal immigrants, also Polish American retirees, who often have their Social Security benefits drastically reduced.

The support of your organization will strengthen the letter’s impact. Let's end the unfair Windfall Elimination Provision! Join us! Have the Polish American voice heard on Capitol Hill!

Please fill in and submit the enclosed ACTION’S SUPPORT DECLARATION
https://pacmissouri.org/contact-us/actions-support-declaration/

• Your name and organization will be placed on the letter to all members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senators.
• You will get updates about the status of the initiative.

For more information see: https://poradniksukces.com/wp/co-nowego-w-kongresie-o-windfall-elimination-provision/

If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

• Edward Wojciech Jeśman, President
  Polish American Strategic Initiative, Inc.
  (310) 291-2681, president@joinpasi.org
• Stanisław Śliwowski, President
  Coalition of Polish Americans
• Marek Waniołka, President
  Polish American Congress, Missouri Div.
• Andrzej Burghardt, President
  Polish American Congress, New Jersey Div.
• Zbyszek Koralewski, VP for American Affairs
  Polish American Congress, Long Island Div.
  Tomasz Kącki, President
  Polish American Congress, Ohio Div.
• Richard Widerynski, VP for American Affairs
  Polish American Congress of Southern California
• Mirek Gorny, President
  Polish American Social Club of San Diego County
• Elżbieta Baumgartner
  Poradnik Sukces
• Jerzy Bogdziewicz, President
  Polish American Congress of Florida.

LETTER TO THE U.S. CONGRESS

April 27, 2021

The Honorable ... 

Re: The Social Security Fairness Act of 2021 (H.R. 82 & S. 1302)

Dear ...

Members of numerous Polish American organizations within the United States representing your constituents, and signed below, would like to thank you for your support or urge you to support, if you have not done so yet, the legislation H.R. 82 and S.1302, also known as "The Social Security Fairness Act of 2021."

The H.R. 82 and S. 1302 aims to repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) from the existing Social Security Act. In addition to negatively impacting the disability benefits of many, these provisions are unfair to countless government workers and legal immigrants because they drastically reduce their Social Security retirement benefits (up to 50% of their non-Social Security pension). The GPO and WEP provisions are especially unjust towards legal immigrants whose small retirement pensions come from their native countries. Many of your constituents affected by these provisions fled persecution under repressive governments. These are primarily first-generation immigrants who retire with a very modest income, which combines social security benefits and foreign retirement. Their combined income frequently falls below the poverty threshold.

The legal immigrants did not have an option to work on jobs covered by the Social Security in their native country, therefore punishing them by cutting down their Social Security benefit is discriminatory and unjust. Their foreign pension is not, by any means, a WINDFALL.We know that Congress has heard before from thousands of public employees about this issue but has not acted on the subject. We are asking for your help. You are empowered with the capacity and privilege to make a difference in many current and future retirees' lives. We urge you to support "The Social Security Fairness Act of 2021"; if enacted into law, it would restore a much-needed sense of justice to many retirees.

Thank you for your consideration and support.
Best regards,
...

List of Polish American Organizations supporting H.R.82 and S.1302

Edward Wojciech Jeśman, President
Polish American Strategic Initiative
& Polish American Congress of Southern California
(310) 291-2681, president@joinpasi.org

Stanisław Śliwowski, President
Coalition of Polish Americans

Marek Waniołka, President
Polish American Congress, Missouri Div.

Andrzej Burghardt, President
Polish American Congress, New Jersey Div.

Zbyszek Koralewski, VP for American Affairs
Polish American Congress, Long Island Div.

Tomasz Kącki, President
Polish American Congress, Ohio Div.

Richard Widerynski, VP for American Affairs
Polish American Congress of Southern California

Mirek Gorny, President
Polish American Social Club of San Diego County

Elżbieta Baumgartner
Poradnik Sukces

Jerzy Bogdziewicz, President
Polish American Congress of Florida