Social Security Fairness Act clears Senate procedural hurdle, on path for final passage

The Social Security Fairness Act cleared a key procedural hurdle Wednesday, soaring past the 60 votes it needs to advance by a vote of 73-27.

This puts the legislation on a glide path toward final passage, though the exact timing of that vote is a bit unclear as we wait for further clarity on floor action in the coming days.

The legislation has already passed the House. Once it finally passes the Senate, it will head to President Joe Biden's desk for his signature. Along with government funding, this will be one of the last major pieces of legislation that Biden signs into law.

The bill was pushed forward by a bipartisan group of cosponsors who, in a press conference Wednesday, praised the Senate's actions for helping to protect millions of workers.

"I am so thankful that we in the federal government are keeping a promise on earned benefits to return that which is due to the people who have given their lives to serve the public," Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said.

"It is a wonderful way to end the year. We'll be bringing some equity in my state its 250,000 workers will be helped by this it really is to me about this canary pin and the dignity of work and fighting for workers," Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said.

The closely watched legislation repeals provisions that limit the ability of some retirees who also collect pensions from claiming Social Security benefits. Among those impacted are retirees who at one time worked as firefighters, teachers, postal worker, a police officer, or in other public sector jobs. A provision that limits the benefits allotted to those workers' surviving spouses would also be eliminated.

The legislation already passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support in November, but Congress would need to act this week to avoid having to restart the process of passing the legislation in the new year.

It has strong advocates on both sides of the aisle.

"It is unfair to penalize Americans who have taught our children, protected our streets, and ran into burning buildings," Cassidy, the top Republican on the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee, said in a post on X earlier this month.

But there is some concern among Republicans about the cost of the bill and the increased strain it could put on the already underfunded Social Security trust fund.

The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has estimated that the bill would increase the deficit by $196 billion and increase the rate at which the Social Security trust fund becomes insolvent.

As a result, there could be challenges on the floor that limit the ability to expedite passage of this bill. And there's certainly a time crunch to consider.

The Senate isn't short on things to accomplish during this last week of the lame-duck session. It is currently working to process the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act. Senators must also approve a government funding bill before the end of the week if they wish to avert a shutdown.