Millions to Receive Higher Social Security Payments Under New Bill Signed by Biden

President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act on Sunday, expanding benefits for about three million retired public workers, including teachers, firefighters, and police officers. While the move provides a short-term boost to some retirees, it also adds a staggering $196 billion to the federal deficit without solving Social Security’s long-term insolvency crisis.

The bill repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) two measures that, for decades, reduced Social Security benefits for public employees who receive government pensions.

• Retired public sector workers like police officers, firefighters, teachers, and nurses will see an average Social Security increase of $360 per month.

• About 2.5 million retirees will receive a one-time lump-sum payment for benefits they were previously denied.

• Spouses, widows, and widowers with government pensions will now receive full Social Security benefits, despite previously being subject to reductions.

Biden celebrated the move as a win for working Americans, saying, "We're extending Social Security benefits for millions of teachers, nurses, and other public employees."

While public workers getting extra benefits may seem like a good thing, critics warn that the bill only worsens Social Security’s financial instability. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates it will add $196 billion to the already ballooning national deficit.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) called out the bill’s unfairness, stating:

"Let’s be crystal clear: this bill would increase unfairness in how Social Security benefits are calculated."

The original purpose of the WEP and GPO was to prevent double-dipping, where public employees could collect a full government pension and Social Security benefits, despite not paying Social Security taxes during their government service. Repealing these provisions erases safeguards that kept the system fair for private-sector workers who have paid into Social Security for decades.

The biggest issue remains unaddressed: Social Security is going broke. The Social Security Administration (SSA) reports that by 2035, the program’s trust fund reserves will be depleted. If nothing changes, retirees will only receive 83% of their promised benefits after that date.

Biden’s solution? Raise taxes. He predictably pushed for the “wealthiest Americans” to pay more, instead of tackling the program’s structural problems. This approach ignores the real issue: Social Security is unsustainable in its current form.

Instead of fixing the root problem, Biden and his allies keep expanding benefits without a plan to pay for them. The numbers don’t lie:

• The U.S. national debt is already over $34 trillion.

• Social Security’s insolvency looms just a decade away.

• Congress continues to ignore hard choices, choosing political points over fiscal responsibility.

Americans deserve real Social Security reform, not another reckless expansion that burdens future generations. Biden’s bill may provide short-term relief for some, but it pushes the entire system closer to collapse.

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