Thank you, Congressman Tiberi

Kathie Bracy to Congressman Pat Tiberi, January 30, 2009
Subject: GPO/WEP

Dear Congressman Tiberi,

I am REALLY happy to learn that you have signed on as a co-sponsor of H.R. 235, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2009, which would repeal the Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provisions.

GPO/WEP is unfair and hurts many people, as you know. Many Ohio retired teachers worked second jobs (and paid into Social Security) to supplement their modest incomes. With modest pensions and shabby healthcare through STRS Ohio (which had promised us "the Cadillac of healthcare" in our retirement, which is why we put up with lower teaching salaries in the first place), many retirees are barely making it, yet they are being cheated out of their rightful income from Social Security.

Also, I wonder how many of our military are affected by the GPO through Troops to Teachers (http://www.ed.gov/programs/troops/index.html). In Ohio, I would venture to guess most of our military who go on to become teachers have no idea they will be heavily penalized when retirement time rolls around for them. They do not deserve this kind of treatment.

Thank you again for signing onto H.R. 235.

Kathie Bracy
Columbus, OH