Landsman and Local Teacher Join President Biden at White House for the Signing of the Social Security Fairness Act

<p><strong><em>Cincinnati, OH</em></strong><em> – Today, Congressman Greg Landsman (OH-01) announced that Melissa Johnson, a Warren County public school teacher, joined President Biden at the White House as he signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law.</em></p>

<p>Because <a href="https://landsman.house.gov/posts/landsman-and-constituents-in-ohios-1st-district-play-a-major-role-in-passing-the-social-security-fairness-act">Landsman played a major</a> role in getting the <em>Social Security Fairness Act</em> passed, he and local public school teacher Melissa Johnson, attended the bill signing ceremony at the White House on Sunday, January 5.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;<em>Social Security&nbsp;Fairness&nbsp;Act&nbsp;</em>repeals two unfair provisions that have been slashing benefits from&nbsp;nearly&nbsp;three million public retirees for over 40 years.<em>&nbsp;</em>It&nbsp;has been introduced in every Congress since 2001. Retired teachers, firefighters, police officers, and letter carriers across the country had been calling congressional offices to pass the bill. In our case, it was Melissa Johnson, a local teacher from Warren County.</p>

<p>In his first year in Congress, Landsman visited the National Archives and saw the discharge petition – a rare congressional procedure used to force a vote – for the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Inspired by the role it played, he made his case to the sponsors of the&nbsp;<em>Social Security Fairness&nbsp;</em>Act, Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger and Congressman Garret Graves, to file a discharge petition for the bill.</p>

<p>Landsman became the third signature on the petition and led the charge to securing the 218 signatures it needed to force a vote. The House passed the bill in November.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Landsman then rallied for a Senate vote, which was passed in late December.</p>

<p><strong>Congressman Landsman:</strong></p>

<p><em>“We’ve officially fixed a 40-year-old problem that took away critical benefits from our public retirees.&nbsp;</em>Through major efforts, we made this a reality for people like Melissa, who paid their fair share into Social Security and deserve the ability to retire comfortably. As a former teacher and child of teachers, I know how long overdue this is for public workers – some of the hardest-working people out there. Thank you to everyone who called, emailed, and wrote in – this victory shows that grassroots advocacy makes a difference.”</p>

<p><strong>Melissa Johnson:</strong></p>

<p>“Helping to pass the&nbsp;<em>Social Security Fairness Act</em>&nbsp;and witnessing the president sign it into law will be an extraordinary moment, showcasing the power of collective effort and unwavering advocacy. Standing at the signing ceremony, I know that I will feel a deep sense of pride and responsibility, knowing that this moment will resonate for generations to come. It’s a reminder that even small actions can have a profound, lasting impact on society. That’s what our democracy is all about!”</p>

<p class="has-text-align-center">###</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://landsman.house.gov/posts/landsman-and-local-teacher-join-president-biden-at-white-house-for-the-signing-of-the-social-security-fairness-act">Landsman and Local Teacher Join President Biden at White House for the Signing of the Social Security Fairness Act</a> appeared first on <a href="https://landsman.house.gov">Greg Landsman</a>.</p>