Rejected: Attorney General Says “No”
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MENTA FOURTH QUARTER 2009 LE L P P U REJECTED: ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS “NO” S Attorney General Greg Abbott did not authorize the much-anticipated $500 supplemental payment for public education retirees. Abbott’s statement: “...the Legislature is aware of legal means by which to provide additional benefits to retirees. It conspicuously failed to utilize such approaches during the eighty–first T legislative session....” TRTA has released a response, which can be found at www.trta.org. TRTA members will N receive additional information and specific guidelines on our next steps through an all–member mailing. TRTA E members, please watch your mailboxes for this important information. PAYM The BUILDw THEIT OFFICIAL NEWSAND BULLETIN OF THE TEXAS THEY RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION WILL COME TRTA BUILDS A TABLE FOR CONGRESSIONAL ACTION ON GPO/WEP By Tim Lee, Executive Director Many of you may recall the popular movie about a farmer who built a baseball field on his land. The motivation behind the man’s ambition was a voice that kept telling him, “If you build it, they will come.” Similarly, the TRTA Board of Directors is moving forward with an approach to “build” a table in Washington and add pressure to Congress on the repeal of the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). What’s at Stake? Many of you know the effects of the GPO, the WEP or With hundreds of thousands of Americans hurting from both on a very personal level. These unjust Social Security the financial impact of the GPO and the WEP, why has provisions reduce and, in some cases, eliminate benefits Congress failed to act? In an era of bailing out the big banks for public education retirees, as well as many other public and financial institutions, why has Congress turned its back employee retirees. TRTA has chronicled the history of these on public employees who have spent their lives in service two provisions and their impact in previous issues, but as a to our schools, fire stations, communities, and even on the refresher for those who have never heard of the GPO and battlefield? The only plausible answer is that Congress the WEP, visit www.trta.org for more information. believes they can continue taking money from retirees with little to no action on the issue. Hundreds of Congressional The bottom line is that public pensioners all over the members find solace in cosponsoring legislation that calls country are being penalized for their service. The impact for the repeal of these provisions, while never taking any is felt by educators, municipal workers, state employees, federal employees and even the United States military. BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME definitive step toward that end. All around the country. TRTA functions REA network leadership on the real and the while, retired public employees are in partnership with these organizations tangible aspects of a repeal. Summit heavily recruited to support the same on a national level through the National participants want to know what exactly is Congressional members when it comes Retired Teachers Association as well as being planned for Social Security reform, time to go to the ballot box. These same other nationally affiliated groups. With how the repeal of the GPO/WEP fits into retirees are being ignored, misled, and nearly every state in the country having those plans, when we can expect real cast aside for issues Congress believes a retired educator association, the REA action, and what our members can expect are more important. network adds to our collective strength from all involved. in Washington on issues such as this one. Can such a claim really be made about We also plan on having representatives Congressional officials who profess their TRTA and many other REAs decided from the Social Security Administration, desire to see these issues reversed? The Congress was simply doing the various Congressional staffers, and proof is in their actions. The GPO and minimum to placate our constituency. our allies from other state and national the WEP are simply punted from one Unfortunately, Congressional members constituent groups at the summit to work Congressional session to the next with across the political spectrum have with us. The summit’s success, though, little more than a symbolic cosponsor simply been taking advantage of the relies primarily on the participation of the list and an occasional committee hearing. retirees impacted by the GPO/WEP by Congressional members we’re counting The issue has been raised with Congress signing a bill professing their support, on to move this issue forward. We need consistently for more than 20 years, and but taking little real action to advance to hear from them what they are doing to although awareness of GPO/WEP is as the issue. In spite of this inaction, push this issue forward. We need to know high as it has ever been, Congress still though, we have made considerable what the resistance is, what the current fails to make it a realistic priority. progress educating other retirees and financial estimates for repeal are, who is making active employees aware of the working with us, and what our members Repealing the GPO and WEP Requires GPO/WEP. can expect Congress to do now. a New Approach Have you ever tried to make an A Blueprint for Success TRTA may need your help. As appointment with a Congressional office? In the many years TRTA and other REA we continue to make contact with The sad reality is that Congressional groups have been working to repeal the Congressional members, we know their members run at a frenetic pace. Traveling GPO/WEP, few instances can be cited calendars are not set until just a few between Washington and their districts, in which Congressional activity has weeks or even days before any given going to innumerable meetings, visiting actually brought decision makers to the meeting. The more constituent pressure with as many constituents as they can— table to advance the GPO/WEP repeal TRTA members can generate on their these are but a few of the scheduling effort. Every now and then, a hearing representatives’ participation, the more obstacles that tend to get in the way. or press conference is held, but they likely it is that each Congressional TRTA is rethinking the entire outreach are few and far between and have had member will schedule time with us. effort on the issue and organizing the minimal effect. first–ever GPO/WEP Summit. This Keep in mind that this approach has initiative began nearly two years ago Therefore, TRTA is reaching out through never been tried before, and we are doing when TRTA and the Retired Educators the upcoming GPO/WEP summit something very different than a simple Association (REA) network met to discuss and asking Congressional members to Congressional office visit. TRTA has our collective progress and design a new explain in person to our network just secured a meeting room inside the United approach. what actions they are taking and what States Capitol to make it as convenient as activities we can undertake to repeal possible for key members of Congress The REA network is an organization of these harmful provisions. to join us. While we are not inviting retired public education associations the entire Texas delegation, we need Right now, TRTA is scheduling to meet with several critical members. TRTA Bill Tracker Congressional members to meet with TRTA members can follow the summit’s HR235/S 484 Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA) Amends title II of the Social Security Act to repeal the Government pension offset and windfall elimination provisions. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) HR 2145 Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) Eliminates the effects of the Windfall Elimination Provision for persons earning less than $2,500 a month in a combined government pension and Social Security earnings. The WEP formula would be reapplied to Social Security earnings above the combined $2,500 limit. HR 1221/S 490 Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) Amends title II of the Social Security Act to repeal the windfall elimination provision and protect the retirement of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) public servants. The Voice (USPS 658-950) is published by the Texas Retired Teachers Association, 313 E. 12th St., Ste. 200, Austin, TX 78701. The Voice is published quarterly, $2.00 a year, which is included 2 The VOICE Fourth Quarter 2009 in the $25.00 annual membership dues by TRTA. Periodicals postage paid at Austin, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to TRTA, 313 E. 12th St., Ste. 200, Austin, TX 78701. BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME progress and invitation list by signing up visits than I can remember have been to receive the free e–newsletter called the made, and this is but a scratching of the HR 235 TEXAS COSPONSORS Inside Line. Simply go to www.trta.org surface. The last reported price tag on Please thank them for their support and click the link to receive the Inside repealing the GPO/WEP was purported Rep. Michael Burgess (229 Cannon, 202. 225.7772) Line. TRTA members who do not have to be over $85 billion in a ten–year period. Rep. John Carter (409 Cannon, 202.225.3864) email can call 800.880.1650 and ask for an Think about the billions Congress has update on the GPO/WEP summit. spent in the last year just to bail out banks Rep. Michael Conaway (1527 Longworth, 202.225.3605) and save Wall Street power brokers. All Rep. Henry Cuellar (336 Cannon, 202.225.1640) Who Else Is Helping with This National the while, hundreds of thousands of Effort? public servants across the country have Rep.