Current Legislative Priorities in the 118th Congress

With the 118th Congress in full swing, it is important that we update you on some of our legislative priorities this session. While this list is not exhaustive, it highlights what we are currently fighting for on Capitol Hill to improve the lives of our members and the working class.

The Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82, S.597)

Senior citizens collecting Social Security have faced unfair reductions in their monthly benefits due to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). These two provisions of a 1983 law penalize Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) retirees and their spouses, who found secondary employment outside of the federal system. In fact, these retirees have paid their fair share into Social Security and meet the necessary requirements, but are not receiving the benefits they have earned.

The Social Security Expansion Act (H.R. 1046, S. 393)

Aside from simply fixing current Social Security law, the APWU is fighting for the expansion of senior Social Security benefits. If passed and signed into law, this bill would increase benefits by $200 a month, raise Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs), and bring back student benefits for dependent children. Notably, this legislation would lift the cap on Social Security taxes so that the wealthy will begin to pay their fair share into the program.

The Equal COLA Act (H.R. 866)

Currently, there is a disparity between Social Security COLAs for those who retired under the CSRS, and those who retired under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). The difference can be up to one percentage point, which can equal tens of thousands of dollars over the course of a retirement, and is felt more deeply during times of high inflation.

The Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act (H.R. 20, S.567)

With union membership declining and the rich getting richer off of the backs of hard-working Americans, now is the time to protect the right to organize. Provisions of this bill would make it easier to join unions and allow workers to get rid of anti-union “right-to-work” laws. Additionally, the PRO Act would increase worker protections, namely from being replaced during strikes and through both monetary fines and personal liability for employers that violate workers’ rights. The last component of the bill will help to promote fair union elections, without the interference of management.

The Vote at Home Act (H.R. 1439, S.700)

The APWU hopes to expand access to vote-by-mail to all Americans. This bill would require that every registered voter in the nation receive their ballot via USPS with prepaid postage. Implementation of this policy would allow access to the ballot box for all, and result in less voter suppression through obstacles, such as absentee ballot excuse requirements or polling location inaccessibility. Both the 2020 and 2022 elections proved the efficacy of vote-by-mail, and it is time that everyone should reap the benefits of this program.

For more information on our legislative priorities, please visit the www.apwu.org/priorities. As more bills get reintroduced this Congress, we will update our web page, which also has information on how you can fi nd your federal, state, and local representatives, as well as tips on how to lobby. We thank you in advance for all of your lobbying efforts.

2023 Legislative Conference: Building Grassroots Power

If you are interested in learning more about what we do here in the Legislative and Political Department, please join us for our legislative conference on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023 in Las Vegas, NV. We hope to increase your legislative knowledge and teach you some grassroots strategies to hold our elected officials accountable. For more details about the event, visit: apwu.org/2023-leg-con