President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law Sunday afternoon, which is expected to be one of the last major pieces of legislation of his presidency.
Before signing the bill, Biden touted the importance of Social Security benefits to working-class Americans and that he is “proud to have played a small part in this fight and signed on.”
“The bill I’m signing today is about a simple proposition: Americans who have worked hard all their lives to earn an honest living should be able to retire with financial security and dignity,” he said.
The law repeals provisions that limit the ability of some retirees who collect pensions to claim Social Security benefits. Those affected include retirees who once worked as firefighters, teachers, postal workers, police officers or other public sector jobs. Also, the provision that limits the benefits granted to the surviving spouses of these workers is also eliminated.
The bill passed the Senate in December after passing the House in November with overwhelming bipartisan support.
Before signing the bill Sunday, a White House official called Biden “the first president in more than two decades to expand Social Security benefits.”
“The bill being signed into law today will expand benefits by hundreds of dollars per month for more than 2.5 million Americans,” the official said.
As Biden seeks to strengthen his legacy in his final weeks, the official also pointed to other moves by Biden to strengthen Social Security and other programs that “reckless” Republicans have worked to make cuts to.
Lawmakers from both parties have praised the legislation to help millions of Americans.
“I am very grateful that we are making good on a promise made in the federal government to pay back what is owed to the people who have given their lives to serve the public,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La. It passed the Senate last month.
Senator Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio, said, “It’s a wonderful way to end the year. We’re going to bring some equity to my state, where it’s going to help 250,000 workers with this. This canary pin is really for me, and about the dignity of work and the fight for workers.”
