Biden signs boost to Social Security for public workers
The president signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law, expanding retirement benefits for millions


What happened
President Joe Biden Sunday signed the Social Security Fairness Act, which repeals two decades-old laws that limited Social Security payments for public workers with pensions and their surviving spouses. The change will boost payments to about 2.5 million teachers, firefighters, police officers, postal workers and other beneficiaries by an average of $360 a month.
Who said what
"The bill I'm signing today is about a simple proposition: Americans who have worked hard all their life to earn an honest living should be able to retire with economic security and dignity," Biden said at Sunday's signing ceremony. "That's a big deal in middle class households like the one I grew up in and many of you did."
The new law, "decades in the making," passed "just under the wire," with the Senate approving it 76-20 on Dec. 21 after the House passed it in November on a 327-75 vote, CBS News said. A White House official said Biden was "the first president in more than 20 years to expand Social Security benefits." It's "expected to be one of the last major pieces of legislation of his presidency," ABC News said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
The "future of Social Security has become a top political issue," not to mention a concern for its 72.5 million recipients, The Associated Press said. The program's trustees said last May that Social Security's trust fund will be unable to pay full benefits starting in 2035, and the new law will "hasten the program's insolvency day by about half a year."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Ukraine: Trump's mixed messages
Feature Trump reverses a Pentagon freeze on Patriot missiles to Ukraine as Russia ramps up air attacks
-
Diddy: An abuser who escaped justice?
Feature The jury cleared Sean Combs of major charges but found him guilty of lesser offenses
-
Death from above: Drones upend rules of war in Ukraine
Feature The world's militaries are paying close attention to drone use in the Russia-Ukraine war
-
Secret Service 'failures' on Trump shooting
Speed Read Two new reports detail security breakdowns that led to attempts on the president's life
-
Trump set to hit Canada with 35% tariffs
Speed Read The president accused Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney of failing to stop the cross-border flow of fentanyl
-
Mahmoud Khalil files $20M claim over ICE detention
Speed Read This is the 'first damages complaint' brought by an individual targeted by the Trump's administration's 'crackdown' on Gaza war protesters
-
'Alaska has the resources, but America needs the will'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariffs
Speed Read He accused Brazil's current president of leading a 'witch hunt' against far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro
-
AI scammer fakes Rubio messages to top officials
Speed Read The unknown individual mimicked Rubio in voice and text messages sent to multiple government officials
-
SCOTUS greenlights Trump's federal firings
speed read The Trump administration can conduct mass federal firings without Congress' permission, the Supreme Court ruled
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin August 1 on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more