Millions more of Americans will now be eligible to receive their Social Security benefits.

The U.S. House and Senate voted to pass the Social Security Fairness Act, which extends Social Security benefits to public servants such as retired teachers and first responders. 

The new law will correct two older provisions that reduced or eliminated social security benefits for public servants.

“People who are in public service positions but have a second job —for example maybe selling insurance for example on the side – what this means is not only will they receive their pension, but they will also receive their social security as well,” Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz said.

Senators voted 76 to 20 in favor of the change. De La Cruz said this was a top priority for her.

“For too long, public servants—our teachers, police officers, and firefighters—have been penalized for dedicating their lives to serving our communities,” De La Cruz said in a statement. “Listening to teachers and public employees in my district, I understood the inequities they faced. That’s why I co-sponsored this legislation early in my tenure, and today’s passage reflects our commitment to fairness and respect for those who serve. This is a victory for fairness and justice, and I am thrilled to see the hard work of so many finally come to fruition.”

 Congressman Vicente Gonzalez issued the following statement following the passage of the bill:

“Protecting and enhancing Social Security benefits is an absolute priority for me, as it should be for every single member of Congress. These are rightfully earned benefits and economic lifelines for many retired public servants in South Texas and across our country. The Social Security Fairness Act is an opportunity to fix harmful provisions that unjustly reduce the amount of aid retirees receive. I urge President Biden to quickly sign this into law. The federal government must uphold its promise to hard-working Americans and honor the contributions these folks have made over decades of giving back to their community and country.”

The bill must now be signed into law by President Joe Biden.

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